ðɪ ˌɛfbˌiːˈaɪ kənfˈɜːmd ðɪ ɛskˈeɪp wʌz dʒˈɛnjuːɪn ˌɔn fˈɛbɹuːˌɛɹi twˈɛnti θɹˈiː, æz ðeɪ ˈɪʃuːd ɐ nˈæʃənəl pɹˈɛs ɹᵻlˈiːs nˈeɪmɪŋ ˈɛlbeɪnˌeɪ æz wˈʌn ʌvðə fˈɜːst nˈuː ɐdˈɪʃənz, sˈɪns ɪnsˈɛpʃən ɪn tˈuː θˈaʊzənd wˈʌn, tə ðɪ ˌɛfbˌiːˈaɪ mˈoʊst wˈɔntᵻd tˈɛɹɚɹˌɪsts lˈɪst.
The FBI confirmed the escape was genuine on February 23, as they issued a national press release naming Elbaneh as one of the first new additions, since inception in 2001, to the FBI Most Wanted Terrorists list.