LAHORE, Jan 8: The jeweller who had claimed that one of the five photographs of suspected terrorists issued by the FBI was his, on Wednesday thanked the US and Pakistani governments for correcting the mistake.

“It happened because I was innocent,” the 34-year-old owner of a jewellery shop at Soha Bazaar, Mohammad Asghar, told this reporter while receiving the felicitations of neighbouring shopkeepers and relatives.

The FBI on Tuesday called off a nationwide search for the five “foreigners” and questioned the reliability of the report, which said the five men had been to the US illegally last month.

The FBI ran the report on its website and also conveyed the information to law-enforcement agents and media personnel, warning the people of the possibility of a terrorist attack on Christmas eve.

“A message telling the local police around the country that the search was off was to be transmitted Tuesday,” a news website quoted an American law-enforcement agent as saying.

“I am thankful to the US authorities who have realised their mistake and removed my name and picture from the list of wanted men,” Mr Asghar said, adding that God had helped him out of the situation. “Since the FBI circulated my photo, I had been feeling like I was standing close to the gallows.”

The FBI had warned the American people that the five men had illegally entered the US from Canada on Dec 24 and might carry out a terrorist attack.

Mr Asghar came forward on Jan 1 and said he was shocked when he flipped through a local newspaper and saw the name of some Mustafa Khan Owaisi written beneath his picture. “I have never been to the US or Canada.”

Mr Asghar distributed sweets at his shop on Wednesday.

He said he was still ready for cooperation with the Pakistani authorities or the FBI if they intended any further questioning.

“Some Pakistani intelligence agencies men questioned me twice in the last two days,” he said, expressing his belief that they had done so on behalf of the FBI.

Mr Asghar, when asked, said he did not plan to file for damages. “It’s enough for me that I am off the hook,” he concluded.