Detained FBI agent to remain under detention: officials

ISLAMABAD-

An agent of Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) arrested by Pakistani security officials at Jinnah International Airport remains under detention on anti-terrorism charges,  Pakistani and US officials were quoted as saying by a Washington Post report on Wednesday.

The US citizen, identified as Joel Cox Eugene was detained by airport authorities on Monday when he was found carrying 15 bullets of 9mm calibre and a gun magazine while boarding a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight to Islamabad.

On Tuesday, he was produced in a local court on charged of violating Pakistan’s anti-terrorism laws that prohibit carrying arms or ammunition on a commercial flight.

According to the WP report, U.S. officials in Washington confirmed that the agent, who is assigned to the FBI Miami Field Office, was in Pakistan on temporary duty.

They requested to withhold the agent’s name, as the issue was ‘sensitive’ in nature.

According to a U.S. official, the agent was not armed and had apparently forgotten about the loaded magazine in his luggage.

He was in Pakistan as part of a multi-agency effort to help the Pakistanis investigate corruption; the official was quoted as saying.

Meghan Gregonis, spokeswoman for the US Embassy in Islamabad, said that the US officials were closely coordinating with the Pakistani authorities on the matter.