US citizen arrested at Karachi airport is FBI agent: US officials

KARACHI: US officials said that an American national arrested at Karachi airport on Monday for carrying ammunition in his bag is a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agent, according to reports published in US media.

The agent was detained by airport police in Karachi at about 4PM on Monday when he tried to board a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight to Islamabad. He was in possession of 15 bullets and a magazine for a 9mm pistol, police officials said.

On Tuesday, he appeared in court on charges of violating anti-terrorism laws that prohibit carrying of weapons or ammunition on a commercial flight. A judge ordered that the agent be detained until May 10 so security officials can investigate the matter.

According to the Washington Post report, US officials in Washington confirmed that the agent, who is assigned to the FBI Miami Field Office, was in Pakistan on temporary duty. They requested that the agent’s name be withheld, citing sensitivity of the situation.

The report citing a US official with knowledge of the case reported the agent was not armed and had apparently forgotten about the loaded magazine in his bag. The agent was in Pakistan as part of a multi-agency effort to help the Pakistanis investigate corruption, the official said.

Meghan Gregonis, a spokeswoman for the US Embassy in Islamabad, said US officials are working to resolve the matter.