The 'spies' next door

A group of 11 people accused of being Russian spies have been arrested in raids by US authorities.

Some of the arrestees had been living in the suburban US for decades.

The White House says improving relations with Russia should not be hurt allegations.

Russia meanwhile has denounced the arrests as a throwback to the Cold War era.

The alleged agents have not been accused of espionage but the charges against them could be punishable by five to twenty years in prison.

The suspects in the case settled on the east coast of the United States -- around Boston, Washington and New York.

According to their friends and neighbors they attracted little suspicion.

Al Jazeera's Cath Turner traveled to suburbs outside of New York City and found surprise among many who knew the suspects.