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TPD investigates 'abnormal' number of cell phones purchased by two men Suspicious cell-phone purchases may grow Bulk cell-phone buys likely for resale, not terror

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Tucson Police Department officials are investigating a report that two men purchased an abnormal number of pre-paid cell phones at a local store.

The incident comes after several similar reports across the country, although authorities have not found any links between the incidents, or any terrorism ties to any of them, as was originally suspected.

Tucson police received a report on Saturday about the two men, who appeared to be of Middle Eastern descent, purchasing the phones at Sam's Club, 4701 N. Stone Ave., earlier in the day.

The department's special investigations division is investigating the incident, which has been classified as suspicious activity, said Sgt. Mark Robinson, a police spokesman.

Tucson police have notified the FBI of the report, he said.

Police would not say how many phones were purchased locally, but said it was more than a person normally would purchase for personal use.

"Disposable cell phones are difficult to track and are often purchased for use in criminal activity, such as drug transactions and people smuggling," Robinson said.

He said no laws had been broken, but if the phones were purchased with the intent of breaking the law, the case would become a criminal investigation.

"At this point in time we do not know what their intent was," he said.

Meanwhile, the FBI on Monday said it had no indications that three Texas men arrested with about 1,000 cell phones in their van had any direct connection to known terrorist groups.

Also, a prosecutor in a separate Ohio case said he can't prove a terrorism link between two men arrested after buying large numbers of cell phones and won't proceed for now with terrorism charges against them.

In the Michigan case, authorities had increased patrols on the 5-mile-long Mackinac Bridge after local prosecutors said investigators believed the men were targeting the span.