WASHINGTON, March 20 (UPI) -- U.S. authorities said Thursday they had begun detaining Iraqi nationals in the country who might pose a security threat.
"The Iraqis targeted ... were identified using a range of intelligence criteria and all are in the country illegally," said a statement from the new Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, a division of the Department of Homeland Security.
The BICE said its agents and agents of the FBI carried out the joint initiative as part of Operation Liberty Shield. The FBI was given the authority to conduct immigration detentions by Attorney General John Ashcroft in February.
The BICE also said because the operation is ongoing, "we are unable to release further details at this time."
However, an FBI official earlier this week said that agents for some time have been "operating as we did after 9/11," working with immigration officials to detain illegal immigrants as FBI agents conducted voluntary interviews with tens of thousands of Iraqi exiles in this country.
The overwhelming majority of Iraqis in this country are profoundly anti-Saddam, and have been giving officials tips on possibly dangerous illegal immigrants.
Also Thursday, the FBI put out an alert for an individual known as Adnan G. El Shukrijumah. Agents want to "question him in connection with possible threats against the United States. El Shukrijumah is possibly involved with al-Qaida terrorist activities," the alert said, "and, if this is the case, he may pose a serious threat to U.S. citizens and interests worldwide."
El Shukrijumah, 27, was born in Saudi Arabia. "He is approximately 132 pounds (but may be heavier today), 5 feet 3 inches to 5 feet 5 inches tall, has a Mediterranean complexion, black hair, black eyes, and occasionally wears a beard." His photograph is available on the FBI's website at fbi.gov.
El Shukrijumah carries a Guyana passport, the FBI said, but may attempt to enter the U.S. with a Saudi, Canadian or Trinidad passport under an alias.
Earlier Thursday, FBI Director Robert Mueller said his agents "are running down every lead, responding to every threat" to protect Americans from terrorism during the war with Iraq.
Mueller issued a statement to reassure the public that the FBI is doing everything it can to prevent terror attacks in the United States.
Meanwhile, a U.S. Islamic organization complained that anti-Muslim threats are continuing.
The Washington-based Council on Islamic-American Relations said that Muslims were recently threatened or discriminated against in separate incidents in California, Michigan and Illinois.
In the Illinois incident, a Glendale Heights Islamic center received a telephoned bomb threat and was burglarized Saturday, CAIR reported. "Local FBI agents are working with the center on the case," the organization said.
In Washington, an FBI spokesman said Thursday the bureau has more than enough resources to investigate anti-Muslim threats and conduct sweeping counter-terror operations at the same time.
Spokesman Bill Carter said there has not been an increase in reports of anti-Muslim threats to the FBI, but that could change once U.S. troops suffer casualties in Iraq.
In his statement Thursday, Mueller said the FBI was participating in Operation Liberty Shield to protect the American people.
"While our armed forces are leading the fight overseas, the FBI is ready to defend Americans from retaliatory attacks here at home," Mueller said. "We are bringing to bear the full weight of our resources, expertise and partnerships. We are running down every lead, responding to every threat, coordinating with every partner and doing our utmost to keep terrorists from striking back."
The FBI chief said the bureau has restructured itself "from top-to-bottom" since the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks "to strengthen its ability to predict and prevent acts of terror."
Mueller said the bureau has taken a number of steps with the onset of war with Iraq. They include:
-- Activating the huge Strategic Information and Operations Center, or SIOC, at FBI headquarters "to serve as the 24/7 national command post."
-- Setting up special command posts in each of the FBI's 56 field offices to work with Joint Terrorism Task Forces in gathering intelligence and responding quickly to potential threats and reports of suspicious activity.
-- Sending special agents to interview a number of Iraqi-born individuals and others in the United States "to assure them of the FBI's responsibility to protect them from hate crimes and to elicit information on any potential operations of Iraqi agents or sympathizers." FBI officials have refused to say how many of the interviews will be conducted, saying the operation is open ended.
-- Investigating others in the United States who allegedly have links to terrorism.
Mueller said more than a thousand additional special agents have been permanently assigned to counter-terrorism investigations, and the bureau is trying to coordinate more closely with the U.S. intelligence community and law enforcement at every level, including the international law enforcement community.
