FBI: Awaiting Confirmation Of Michigan-Linked Terror Suspect Death

DETROIT (AP) - The FBI says it's keeping a Michigan-linked man on its Most Wanted Terrorist List for now until it can confirm reports that he died while commanding pro-Syrian government forces in that country's civil war.

Lebanese security officials say that 47-year-old Fawzi Ayoub died in May while backing President Bashar Assad's forces against rebels seeking his ouster.

Ayoub was a commander for the Lebanon-based Hezbollah militia, which the U.S. labels a terrorist group.

The FBI put Ayoub on its "Most Wanted Terrorists" list in 2011 after a 2009 indictment in Detroit for passport fraud. He's a dual Lebanese-Canadian citizen who's lived in suburban Detroit.

FBI spokesman David Porter in Detroit sad Tuesday it's aware of Ayoub's reported death and is "taking logical steps" to confirm them.