The US Secret Service has said it may launch a criminal investigation into how a couple gatecrashed Tuesday’s state dinner at the White House.“We’re not leaving any option off the table at this point,” agency spokesman Jim Mackin said.
Mr Mackin did not say what charges could be pursued.
Tareq and Michaele Salahi, who were not on the guest list, went through security checkpoints at the dinner hosted by President Barack Obama.
They later posted photos of themselves on Facebook.
‘Socialites’
“As this moves closer to a criminal investigation there’s less that we can say,” Mr Mackin was quoted as saying by the Associated Press news agency on Friday.
“I don’t want to jeopardise what could be a criminal investigation.”
Ed Donovan, another Secret Service spokesman, said afterwards that the pair had been screened and the president had never been in any danger.
The Washington Post earlier described the Salahis as “polo-playing socialites” with Ms Salahi said to be on the cast of the Real Housewives of Washington television programme.
The newspaper quoted a publicist for the couple as denying they had gatecrashed, saying that the pair “were honoured to be a part of such a prestigious event”.
The state dinner honouring Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was the first of the Obama presidency.
Mr Singh was received with more pomp and ceremony than any previous foreign visitor to Mr Obama’s White House, with the lavish state dinner hosting more than 300 people.