A group of 11 people accused of being Russian spies have been arrested in raids by US authorities. <br /><br />Some of the arrestees had been living in the suburban US for decades.<br /><br />The White House says improving relations with Russia should not be hurt allegations. <br /><br />Russia meanwhile has denounced the arrests as a throwback to the Cold War era. <br /><br />The alleged agents have not been accused of espionage but the charges against them could be punishable by five to twenty years in prison.<br /><br />The suspects in the case settled on the east coast of the United States -- around Boston, Washington and New York.<br /><br />According to their friends and neighbors they attracted little suspicion. <br /><br />Al Jazeera's Cath Turner traveled to suburbs outside of New York City and found surprise among many who knew the suspects.
