Nearly 300 Somalis who were allegedly smuggled into the U.S. by a Virginia man are believed to still be in this country.  But, according to the Washington Examiner, federal authorities don’t know where any of them are.

The Washington Examiner first reported this story back in February, when Anthony Joseph Tracy, 35, was arrested for helping to smuggle Somalis into the U.S. from Kenya.  He was later indicted on charges of conspiring with Cuban Embassy officials in Kenya.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have said they’re concerned because Tracy had contract with Al-Shabaab, a Somali terrorist organization and al Qaeda ally, according to the Examiner.

In court, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeanine Linehan was asked about the government’s search for these 300 illegal immigrants.

“We believe all the individuals are present in the United States,” Linehan told the Examiner.  “But by the virtue of [Tracy's] successful smuggling scheme, we are having difficulty finding them.”

Authorities are now trying to determine whether any of the Somalis are associated with Al-Shabaab.

Tracy apparently helped the Somalis move to the U.S. by getting them travel visas to Cuba through his contacts at the Cuban Embassy in Kenya.

Tracy is being held without bail and has a trial scheduled for May.

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NBC Washington

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