Photos of suspected hijackers released

Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Attorney General John Ashcroft on Thursday released photographs of the 19 suspected hijackers, saying that it is part of "a national neighborhood watch" in which they hoped Americans might recognize some of the hijackers.

"It is our hope" that the photos "will prompt others" who see the hijackers or have "been in contact with them to contact the FBI," Ashcroft said.

Ashcroft said the total number of tips provided to investigators has passed 100,000. FBI Director Robert Mueller said the bureau has "over 200,000 leads we are investigating."

"We call upon any citizen who has information that may be helpful to contact" the FBI, said Mueller.

Some of the names have slightly different spellings and others have additional names added, compared to the list released by the FBI on Sept. 14. Mueller said that the FBI is confident that the names and photos were the identities the hijackers had before entering the United States. The FBI director said there was evidence that one or more of the hijackers had had contacts with al-Qaida, the network associated with accused terrorist Osama bin Laden.

On another matter, Mueller said the FBI believes that arrests Wednesday of people involved in fraudulently getting commercial licenses to carry hazardous materials are not related to the terrorist hijackings.

"I don't believe that those currently under arrest in Pennsylvania" where the fraudulent licensing scheme operated "are related to the hijackers" or the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, said Mueller.

The FBI director said that there was some evidence that "one or more" of the hijackers were related to each other.

On Wednesday, FBI agents investigating the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks assisted in the arrests of 10 Middle Eastern men in three states for fraudulently obtaining licenses to transport hazardous materials.