Update: FBI Working Through Tips In Washington Ferry Investigation

August 23, 2007

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FBI agents are working through tons of tips they received after releasing a photo of two men who they say were acting suspiciously aboard Washington state ferries. (see story below)

Publicizing the photo of men who haven’t been accused of a crime was an unusual move by the FBI. Officials with the Bureau say they just want to talk to the two men.

The State Patrol says investigators started by showing the pictures to ferry workers, Then they showed them at a fire and police training exercise.

With no new leads, they decided to get all the ferry riders involved by publicizing the photos and asking, “do you know who these men are?”

The FBI won’t say if the two were taking pictures - just that the two were unusually interested in the size of the boats, how they work, and the docking procedures.

They were spotted on different ferry runs on different days over a period of four to six weeks.

The men appear to be of middle eastern decent, and the FBI admits there is profiling here — but they insist it’s not racial profiling.

“We’re looking at the behavior,” said FBI spokeswoman Robbie Burroughs. “If you’d like to say we’re profiling particular behavior, I’d be comfortable with that. Because this is behavior people felt uncomfortable with.

“And this is what we’re asking people to do. To be on the lookout for things they feel are unusual or suspicious.”

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