FBI Agent Arrested In Pakistan From Miami Field Office
MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- An FBI agent, assigned to the Miami Field Office, has been arrested in Pakistan on anti-terrorism charges.
Joel Cox was about to board a domestic flight to Islamabad from Karachi Monday night when it was discovered he had 15 bullets for a 9mm gun, three small knives and a wrench. According to Pakistani Police Superintendent Malir Rao Anwar, all of the items were confiscated and sent to a forensics lab for analysis.
Cox appeared in court Tuesday on charges that he violated local anti-terrorism laws that prohibit carrying firearms or ammunition aboard commercial flights, which carries a maximum sentence of 14 years in jail.
FBI employees and other U.S. agency personnel can carry weapons in Pakistan; however, it's unclear whether Cox had obtained authorization from the Pakistani government to carry the ammunition and knives aboard the flight.
The judge ordered that Cox remain in custody until at least Saturday May 10th when he's scheduled to appear in court again.
The U.S. State Department is working with the Pakistani authorities to secure his release.
Cox was visiting Pakistan as part of an assignment to provide training to local police, according to a U.S. law enforcement official.
U.S. officials also said Cox was unarmed and had simply forgotten about the loaded magazine in his bag.
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