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FBI spokesman says agency remains committed to American Samoa

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has no official statement on the future staffing of its field office in Pago Pago despite mounting local reports that the federal agency's local office is unmanned at present.

Citing reliable sources, Samoa News reported Thursday - under the Just Asking column - that the local FBI office is not closing but the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s annual budget is being scaled down.

The source said that with continuing probes into public corruption in American Samoa there is no way the FBI will leave the territory.

Later Thursday morning Samoa News received two more public comments saying that they have heard the FBI will soon close the local office. “Closing the FBI field office shows that American Samoa is again being ignored by the FBI,” said a ranking ASG official, who asked not to be identified.

Responding to Samoa News queries, Honolulu based FBI spokesman Thomas J. Simon Jr., could only say that: "Despite rumors to the contrary, the FBI remains committed to conducting criminal and national security investigations on American Samoa."

He added there has not been any formal announcement regarding the future staffing levels of the FBI's office on American Samoa.