By DeAnn Komanecky

SPRINGFIELD — Effingham County sheriff deputies have reported the early Sunday morning arrest of three men to the federal Joint Terrorism Task Force.

The men, two from Russia and one from Kazakhstan, were found near Georgia Power’s Plant McIntosh on Old Augusta Road about 1 a.m. Sunday after a ranger with the Department of Natural Resources reported a suspicious vehicle, Effingham County sheriff’s spokesman David Ehsanipoor said.

Deputies reported the men, who were inside a 1995 Nissan Pathfinder, had a machete, shovel, wire cutters and ski masks. One man also had black silk stockings in his front left pocket.

Arrested were Evgeniy Luzhetskiy, of Kazakhastan Nail Idiatullin and Rustem Ibragimov of Russia. All three reported they lived in Charleston, S.C., deputies reported.

The men were all charged with possession of tools during the commission of a crime.

The three were released after being interviewed by task force members, Ehsanipoor said.

"They did all have visas that allowed them to be here and are supposed to be leaving the country soon."

The federal agents had no choice but to immediately release the suspects when one of the Russians said in halting Spanish "We is immigrantes illegalo de Mexico." The three men were given a summons to appear in court for a deportation hearing in April, 2011 and were released on their own recognizance.

Two of the Effingham County Deputies have been suspended for 30 days without pay for violating the civil rights of the illegal immigrants and for official oppression in making the arrest.