Mugshot Mix-up?

The FBI sought Thursday to verify a Pakistani man's contention that his photograph was wrongly included among those of men believed to have entered the United States illegally from Canada.

The investigation into the contention by Mohammed Asghar, 30, continued as the FBI delayed public release of photos of several other men officials say may have used fake passports to get into the United States during the recent holiday season.

"We're following up on all aspects of this investigation," said FBI spokesman Steve Berry.

President Bush told reporters at his ranch in Crawford, Texas, that he found Asghar's story "curious" in that the Pakistani man acknowledged in media interviews that he had used false documents in an unsuccessful effort to travel to Great Britain for work.

"We need to follow up on forged passports and people trying to come into our country illegally," Bush said. "The American people need to know that, any time we get a hint that somebody might be coming into our country to cause harm, we'll follow up on it."

So far, none of the five men whose pictures were released Sunday by the FBI has been linked to terrorism. But officials want the public's help in finding them because they may be involved in a false identification and smuggling ring with terrorist connections.

"If we think there's a smuggling ring that's willing to smuggle people in that might harm America, we'll deal with it," Bush said.

Asghar, a jeweler in Lehore, Pakistan, said he was "shocked" when he saw a photograph closely matching his own likeness among the group being sought by the FBI. He said he will cooperate with U.S. officials.

"I just want to be cleared of this complicated situation," Asghar said.

For now, the photograph Asghar says is his will remain on the FBI's Internet web site under the name Mustafa Khan Owasi, officials said. Authorities first want to establish whether the picture released by the FBI really is Asghar.

"Where are the other four? How come they haven't stepped forward?" said Gordon Johndroe, spokesman for the White House Office of Homeland Security. "Maybe they're here, and if they are, maybe they're just on holiday, but we need to know why."

The others named by the FBI are Abid Noraiz Ali; Iftikar Khozmai Ali; Adil Pervez; and Akbar Jamal. Officials cautioned, however, that they were not certain if the identities are accurate because the information about them stems from a false passport scheme uncovered by Canadian authorities.

Asghar says he has never been to America and that he has traveled outside of Pakistan only once — when he tried two months ago to get to Britain on false documents. He was stopped in the United Arab Emirates and returned to Pakistan.

The photo he used in that attempt, which is identical to the one released by the FBI, may have been used by the forgers of his documents to create false papers for someone else, Asghar suggested.

"I just want to be cleared of this complicated situation," Asghar told The Associated Press before traveling to his small shop, which was surrounded by journalists Thursday. "I have no plans to lodge any formal complaint, but I want to state my case for the record."

He said he and friends from nearby shops would talk to senior police officials in the eastern city of Lahore to ask for help clearing his name.

FBI spokeswoman Angela Bell said the names and photos of additional suspects may be released in the next day or so. She said the bureau was not able to confirm that Asghar was the man in the picture, and added that the FBI planned to interview him in Pakistan.

Asghar said he welcomed the news.

"Anybody who wants to ask me any questions, I am willing to cooperate," he said.

Asghar, 30, acknowledged Wednesday he was arrested in the United Arab Emirates two months ago in an attempt to reach Britain illegally — his only attempt to travel abroad. He said authorities in Dubai discovered the forged visa during a stopover, questioned him for nine hours and later deported him.

He told the AP he had wanted to find a job in Britain "but Dubai police caught me."

He insisted he had no link to any terrorist groups. On Thursday, Asghar refused to say where, or from whom, he bought the forged documents, fearing he might put himself in danger.

"Don't ask me about the agent. I don't want to make more problems for myself," he said.

Asghar says he turned to the document forgers when he was unable to get a legal visa to Britain. It often is hard for first-time Pakistani travelers to obtain visas to the West, especially since the Sept. 11 attacks.

Asghar said he does not know any of the people on the list.

"I was shocked when I saw my picture in the newspapers and on television channels with the name of Mustafa Khan Owasi," Asghar said.

With Asghar in the family jewelry shop on Thursday, his father, Haji Asmatullah, was sharply critical of the United States.

"I am hopeful God will help us," he said. "What credibility does the FBI, the U.S. government and the U.S. media have, running pictures without any verification?"

Nearby shopkeepers sympathized. "How can he be a terrorist?" said Mohammad Babar. "He's been here for the last 20 years. The American government and the FBI should apologize to him."

Another jeweler, Mohammad Aqeel, said the affair proved the ill-intent of Americans.

"The Americans and the FBI have just one agenda: to declare all Muslims terrorists," he said.

The Toronto Star reported Tuesday that a joint Canada-U.S. investigation of fake passports triggered the FBI investigation, and that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police gave the Americans the men's names and photos.

New York FBI spokesman Joe Valiquette said Wednesday the agency has interviewed several people in the New York City area who thought they might have seen the five men. But "there is no specific information that any of the five are in New York City," Valiquette said.

Several of the men have names or passports from countries with large terrorist presences. Pakistan, a U.S. ally in the war against terrorism, also is home to Islamic militants, and remnants of the Taliban and al Qaeda terror network are believed to be using western Pakistan as a base for attacks in neighboring Afghanistan.