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| FBI agent held in Pakistan on weapons charge may remain in custody for days | FBI agent held in Pakistan on weapons charge may remain in custody for days |
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| Pakistani authorities said Wednesday that the FBI agent who is being held in a Karachi jail cell on weapons charges is not likely to be released until at least the weekend. | Pakistani authorities said Wednesday that the FBI agent who is being held in a Karachi jail cell on weapons charges is not likely to be released until at least the weekend. |
| Joel Cox, a 32-year-old agent from the FBI Miami Field Office, was arrested Monday while trying to board a commercial flight from the port city to Islamabad. Police said he was attempting to carry ammunition onto the flight. | Joel Cox, a 32-year-old agent from the FBI Miami Field Office, was arrested Monday while trying to board a commercial flight from the port city to Islamabad. Police said he was attempting to carry ammunition onto the flight. |
| Officials said Cox is being held in his own cell, away from other prisoners, and was allowed to meet with a U.S. Consulate representative and two lawyers Wednesday. But U.S. officials appear to be having little success in getting him released quickly. | Officials said Cox is being held in his own cell, away from other prisoners, and was allowed to meet with a U.S. Consulate representative and two lawyers Wednesday. But U.S. officials appear to be having little success in getting him released quickly. |
| An official with the Pakistani Foreign Ministry said Cox will probably remain detained until a judge rules on his case. A hearing is scheduled for Saturday. | An official with the Pakistani Foreign Ministry said Cox will probably remain detained until a judge rules on his case. A hearing is scheduled for Saturday. |
| “The judicial process . . . has begun, and it will take its due course,” said an official in the Pakistani Foreign Ministry who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the matter freely. | |
| U.S. officials have said that Cox had traveled to Pakistan as part of a multi-agency effort to help the Pakistanis investigate corruption. They said he had forgotten the ammunition in his carry-on bag, and they voiced optimism that the matter can be resolved. | U.S. officials have said that Cox had traveled to Pakistan as part of a multi-agency effort to help the Pakistanis investigate corruption. They said he had forgotten the ammunition in his carry-on bag, and they voiced optimism that the matter can be resolved. |
| But Pakistani security officials released new information Wednesday that they say raises more questions about Cox’s work in Pakistan. | But Pakistani security officials released new information Wednesday that they say raises more questions about Cox’s work in Pakistan. |
| Rao Anwar, a senior police official in Karachi, told journalists that the agent traveled to Pakistan on May 1 on a standard three-month travel visa. | Rao Anwar, a senior police official in Karachi, told journalists that the agent traveled to Pakistan on May 1 on a standard three-month travel visa. |
| He arrived in Karachi from Islamabad on May 4, one day before his arrest. | He arrived in Karachi from Islamabad on May 4, one day before his arrest. |
| In addition to 15 bullets and a magazine for a 9mm pistol, Anwar said the agent was also carrying three knives and several small cameras at the time. All the items have been sent to a forensic lab for tests, Anwar said. | In addition to 15 bullets and a magazine for a 9mm pistol, Anwar said the agent was also carrying three knives and several small cameras at the time. All the items have been sent to a forensic lab for tests, Anwar said. |
| “He was a foreigner, not a diplomat,” the police official said. | “He was a foreigner, not a diplomat,” the police official said. |
| A spokesman for Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif declined to comment Wednesday. But Muhammad Ali Saif, a prominent Islamabad-based defense lawyer, expressed doubt that political leaders could easily short-circuit the judicial process even if they wanted to. He noted that Pakistan has a strong, independent judiciary. | A spokesman for Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif declined to comment Wednesday. But Muhammad Ali Saif, a prominent Islamabad-based defense lawyer, expressed doubt that political leaders could easily short-circuit the judicial process even if they wanted to. He noted that Pakistan has a strong, independent judiciary. |
| “Now that [Cox] has been handed over to the police for an investigation, under the law, this period has to expire and he couldn’t be set free before that,” Saif said. | “Now that [Cox] has been handed over to the police for an investigation, under the law, this period has to expire and he couldn’t be set free before that,” Saif said. |
| U.S. officials also could seek diplomatic immunity for Cox, although Pakistani legal experts said the Americans would first have to be more forthcoming with the public about the nature of his work inside Pakistan. | U.S. officials also could seek diplomatic immunity for Cox, although Pakistani legal experts said the Americans would first have to be more forthcoming with the public about the nature of his work inside Pakistan. |
| But any potential efforts to seek diplomatic immunity would be complicated because Karachi police maintain Cox did not arrive on a diplomatic visa, complicating. | |
| Still, there were signs Wednesday that the incident is unlikely to seriously strain bilateral relations, which have been on the upswing over the past year. | Still, there were signs Wednesday that the incident is unlikely to seriously strain bilateral relations, which have been on the upswing over the past year. |
| Conservative political parties have been largely silent on the matter. And although Cox’s arrest was news across Pakistan, much of the country is consumed with the ramifications of a World Health Organization decision to label the country as a major exporter of the polio virus. As a result, Pakistan is preparing to establish polio vaccination booths at airports and at border crossings. | Conservative political parties have been largely silent on the matter. And although Cox’s arrest was news across Pakistan, much of the country is consumed with the ramifications of a World Health Organization decision to label the country as a major exporter of the polio virus. As a result, Pakistan is preparing to establish polio vaccination booths at airports and at border crossings. |
| Aftab Khan Sherpao, a senior Pakistani lawmaker and former interior minister, said he considers Cox’s arrest to be a far less serious matter than the 2011 arrest of Raymond A. Davis on murder charges. | Aftab Khan Sherpao, a senior Pakistani lawmaker and former interior minister, said he considers Cox’s arrest to be a far less serious matter than the 2011 arrest of Raymond A. Davis on murder charges. |
| Davis, who was a CIA contractor based in Lahore, fatally shot two men who he said had been trying to rob him. Davis was detained for two months and freed only after the U.S. government agreed to compensate the relatives of the victims. | Davis, who was a CIA contractor based in Lahore, fatally shot two men who he said had been trying to rob him. Davis was detained for two months and freed only after the U.S. government agreed to compensate the relatives of the victims. |
| “This was recovery of a few bullets, not any weapon,” said Sherpao, adding that it would “not be in the best interest of either country” for this matter to drag on for weeks. | “This was recovery of a few bullets, not any weapon,” said Sherpao, adding that it would “not be in the best interest of either country” for this matter to drag on for weeks. |
| Craig reported from Kabul. Karen DeYoung in Washington, Shaiq Hussain in Islamabad and Nisar Mehdi in Karachi contributed to this report. |