US checks for Pakistani bruises

The bulletin was sent to leading international airports in the US

All Pakistanis arriving at key US airports are facing checks for injuries that might suggest they trained as terrorists, a US Customs bulletin says.

The arrivals, including those with US citizenship, will be checked for rope burns, unusual bruises or scars.

The document says individuals trained in Pakistani camps are "destined to commit illegal activities in the US".

A Homeland Security Department official said the bulletin, dated 17 June, was a "regular border enforcement tool".

'Abseiling activities'

The bulletin was sent to Customs inspectors at international airports in Washington, New York, Newark, Detroit, Chicago and Los Angeles.

The Homeland Security official told the Associated Press news agency there was "no hard intelligence connecting the camps to a threat against the United States".

"It's not unusual to have specific information to assist our inspectors. This is part of our process," the official said.

The bulletin points out things to look for, including signs the individual may have been abseiling or "unusual bruises resulting from obstacle course activities".

It instructs inspectors to look out for individuals who "exhibit evidence of suspicious travel, including short trips to Pakistan not related to family or business".