COMPLETE COVERAGE | FRONT LINES | AMERICA AT HOME | INTERACTIVES »

FBI raids supermarket chain in Virgin Islands

From Bill Mears
CNN Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A supermarket chain and other businesses in the U.S. Virgin Islands owned by a Palestinian immigrant were raided Tuesday by federal agents, and search warrants were executed.

Government agents were seen removing boxes from three Plaza Extra supermarkets, one on the island of St. Thomas, the other two on St. Croix.

Curtis Canton, who owns a business near one of the groceries in Charlotte Amalie, said the store was closed and blocked off, with agents escorting some of the employees out of the building.

"The place was completely sealed off," he said.

A principal owner of Plaza Extra is Fathi Yusef, a 60-year-old Palestinian immigrant.

Federal officials refused to say whether its investigation into Plaza Extra was related to the FBI's ongoing search for terrorists.

Plaza Extra is among the biggest chains of groceries in the Virgin Islands and has a large number of Arab or Middle Eastern employees. Several residents noted that many of the islands' groceries, gas stations and mini-marts are owned by people of Middle Eastern descent.

In a press release, the U.S. Attorney's office in the Virgin Islands said a multi-agency task force of federal and local law enforcement executed the search warrants. Assistant U.S. Attorney Hugh Mabe told CNN the search warrants were "routine" but would not characterize the nature of the search, saying the case was under seal to preserve confidentiality.

No charges were filed, nor any arrest warrants issued.

In the press release, U.S. Attorney David Atkinson cautioned residents in the territory of 108,000, "because it is a commonly known fact in the community that the principal owners and many of the employees of the Plaza Extra Supermarkets in the Virgin Islands are Arab-Americans and other people of Middle Eastern descent, it is particularly important that the community not reach any conclusions about today's actions."