Terrorism task force eyes attempt to buy ambulance

NEW YORK (CNN) -- The FBI, as part of the Joint Terrorism Task Force, is investigating an attempt by two men, described as Middle Eastern, to make a cash purchase of an ambulance that was being prepped for use in a movie or TV shoot that day.

Police in Lyndhurst, New Jersey, put out a nationwide All Points Bulletin for the men following the June 11 incident and said they have identified one of the men. However, it's not known whether he is in custody or if either man has been questioned.

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The FBI in New Jersey told CNN its investigation has not turned up any evidence of terror activity so far, and no warning has been issued by the agency.

The two men, described as clean-cut, casually dressed and about 5-foot-8 or 5-foot-10, walked into Movie Time Cars Inc., -- a company that rents vehicles, including police cars, ambulances and fire trucks for use in movies and TV shows -- and offered to pay cash on the spot for an ambulance in the lot, one of the owners said.

The owner turned down the offer, but told the two men -- one of whom he said had a heavy Arabic accent -- that they could buy an ambulance at an auto auction.

After the men left, the owner got suspicious, jotted down the license number from the large white truck they were riding in and called police.

Police in New York City, which is on a higher alert than the rest of the nation because of the September 11 attack that destroyed the World Trade Center, were notified about the incident.

An NYPD spokesman noted that bogus ambulances have been used in Israel to transport suicide bombers or, to set off secondary explosions once emergency workers are on the scene.

The spokesman said NYPD has been on the alert for such a tactic since September 11.

Days after the attacks, there was a warning about suspicious emergency vehicles but it turned out to be bogus. At that time, the prop-rental company got a call from New York City police and was told to check all vehicles to make sure none was missing.

None was.

--CNN Justice Department Correspondent Kelli Arena contributed to this report