Federal authorities confirmed to Land Line June 30 that 28 truck drivers across the nation are being investigated as “persons of interest” who may have possible links to terrorist activities and groups.

The investigations resulted from the first stage of background checks where federal authorities searched through federal databases that contain information on the nation’s 2.7 million truck drivers who hold CDLs and hazmat endorsements.

A Transportation Security Administration (TSA) official said none of the 28 drivers have direct ties to terrorism, but other agencies are looking a bit closer to determine possible suspicious activity.

“We have identified 29 who are persons of interest and are undergoing additional reviews with the appropriate agencies,” said Andrea Fuentes, spokeswoman for the TSA, adding that one of those 29 people has already been deported.

Fuentes said TSA is still communicating with the states to determine who will be responsible for carrying out fingerprint-based checks. A decision on that issue is expected Jan. 31, 2005.

Meanwhile, the FBI has identified a man who authorities believe may have been part of an al-Qaida “sleeper cell” who obtained a hazmat endorsement and credentials to drive a school bus, the Associated Press reported.

The agency had pegged Mohamed Kamal Elzahabi as a suspected terrorist before the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. Elzahabi, 41, was charged with lying to federal authorities about helping ship field radios to Pakistan from 1995 to 1997 and lying about helping a man, later convicted in Jordan as a terrorist, obtain a driver’s license in Massachusetts.

FBI officials did not return calls from Land Line to confirm information on Elzahabi.