Two men seen earlier this month grabbing a bag holding a pressure cooker bomb in New York City -- leaving the device on the sidewalk -- are believed to have left the U.S. for the Middle East, law enforcement sources close to the investigation confirmed to Fox News on Wednesday.

Fox News is told the two are still not considered suspects in the bombings in New York and New Jersey earlier this month and that their current location is "not suspicious." The FBI has identified them, the sources said.

The FBI and New York Police Department released surveillance images of the men in recent days, describing them as "witnesses." One of the men appeared to wear a white shirt, with the other wearing a red shirt.

The pair came across the luggage on West 27th Street before removing the bomb, according to police who added that they did not recover the suitcase.

Investigators accused the Afghan-born U.S. citizen Ahmad Khan Rahami of planting two bombs in New York City and others in New Jersey. The second bomb in Manhattan exploded on West 23rd Street on Sept. 17, injuring at least 31 people.

Ahmad Rahami has been hospitalized since he was caught following a shootout with police in Linden, New Jersey, on Sept. 19.



Fox News' Matt Dean and The Associated Press contributed to this report.