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FBI raids jewellery stores owned by Pakistanis

In an effort to break up fronts for terrorist activities, nationwide raids are being conducted on jewellery stores owned mostly by Pakistanis, US officials said.

Over the past two weeks, raids have taken place in several cities, including Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Atlanta and New York.

About 75 stores have been raided, said an official on condition of anonymity.

The officials said the shop owners have been asked about their accounting practices and whether they send money to any foreign organisations on a regular basis.

Tariq Hussain, 27, a recently discharged US Army mechanic whose Intrigue Jewelers kiosk in suburban Pittsburgh was searched on June 26, said Federal Bureau of Investigation agents questioned him for several hours and wanted to know if he had connections with the Al-Qaeda and Osama bin Laden.

"They took everything, my paperwork, bills, my computer, my checks," he said. "I told them, 'I don't have any links to anything like that.'"

The government had acknowledged that some raids were conducted in late June, but had refused to discuss whether they were connected with the war on terror.

Agencies

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