Feds raid government software contractor

Federal agents raided the office of Ptech Inc. of Quincy, Mass., early this morning as part of a terrorism investigation, sources said. Ptech supplies modeling software such as its enterprise architecture product to federal agencies via the General Services Administration's schedule.

Ptech's customers include the Air Force, Energy Department, NATO, Naval Air Systems Command, FBI, Federal Aviation Administration and House of Representatives, according to the company's Web site.

Ptech officials declined to comment on the raid, saying only that the company is preparing a response. Officials of the U.S. Customs Service, which reportedly conducted the raid, referred questions to the office of the U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts, where a spokeswoman said officials would release a statement later today.

Sources said several Ptech employees had been cleared for contact with classified information after undergoing background checks by the federal government.

The company's possible links to Saudi Arabian financiers who in turn allegedly help finance Al Quaeda operations reportedly prompted the raids. According to the reports, officials expressed concern that software supplied to the federal government may have been compromised as a result of the terrorism link.