FBI eyes cars with Iraqi diplomatic plates
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SPECIAL REPORT
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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The FBI is asking state and local law enforcement agencies to report any suspicious activities involving vehicles with Iraqi diplomatic license plates, the bureau's weekly bulletin said.
The bulletin, a copy of which was obtained by CNN, was sent out Wednesday. It describes the license plate numbering system for Iraqi diplomatic personnel in New York and Washington.
In a separate advisory sent out Tuesday, the FBI warned of Iraqis in the United States who are already under surveillance as possibly being connected to the Iraqi Intelligence Service, which, the advisory said, is capable of assassinations, hijackings and bombings.
The weekly bulletin in no way suggests that Iraqi diplomats belong to the Iraqi Intelligence Service, but it said that any suspicious activity involving cars with Iraqi diplomatic license plates should be immediately reported to the nearest Joint Terrorism Task Force.
Vehicles attached to Iraq's U.N. mission in New York have State Department diplomatic plates with the plate's number followed by a special letter designation.
Unless they have special permission from the State Department, the cars attached to the U.N. mission must remain within the five-borough area of Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, the Bronx and Staten Island, the FBI bulletin said.
Vehicles used by Iraq's Interests Section in Washington have plates with a special three-letter prefix.
Those vehicles must remain within a 25-mile radius of the Interests Section, which is located in northwest Washington, unless granted special State Department permission.
