FBI widen hunt for Texas seven

The FBI have widened the search for seven men who escaped from a Texas prison in what has become the state's biggest-ever manhunt.

New warrants charging the escapees with unlawful flight and the murder of a police officer on Christmas Eve will allow the hunt to continue across the US, Special Agent Danny Defenbaugh told the Dallas Morning News.

"We have reasonable suspicion they have fled the state," he said, but added that the information is "no stronger" than leads that suggest the fugitives remain in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

The FBI is also considered adding the fugitives, who escaped from the Connally unit in Kenedy on December 13, to its most wanted list.

"We will let this (the warrants) run at least a week before we make that decision," Mr Defenbaugh added.

The warrants allow the 11,423 FBI agents throughout the world to join in the manhunt.

Officer Aubrey Hawkins, 29, was ambushed by the escapees and shot inside his car on December 24, authorities said. A post mortem found the officer was wounded 11 times with medium-calibre bullets, then pulled out of his car and run over.

In the robbery at sports shop in Irving, the gang stole dozens of semi-automatic weapons, ammunition, winter clothing and £50,000 in cash and cheques before killing Mr Hawkins.

The escapees took a shotgun, rifle and 14 handguns in their prison break eleven days earlier.

Authorities, still concerned that a stand-off will occur, believe the escapees are still together.