US citizen briefly arrested for carrying weapon at Islamabad airport
William Jones, who was identified by police and airport officials as a US security trainer, was planning to travel to America via Abu Dhabi when he was taken into custody.
Muhammad Fayaz, a police officer deputed at the airport, said: "The Airport Security Force (ASF) has handed over to us a US national after recovering a magazine and 15 bullets from him.
"The bullets and magazine were discovered through a scanning machine."
An airport security official told AFP that the man was set to travel by Etihad flight EY-232 from Islamabad to Abu Dhabi and onward to the United States.
"He is residing in the US embassy as a security trainer," the official said.
After his arrest, Jones was sent to the airport police station where a First Information Report (FIR) was lodged, Express News reported.
Jones was released on Friday afternoon after a senior official of the US Embassy paid his bail, which was granted by a local court.
"Judge Qaiser Hussain released the detained US national on personal guarantee of a Pakistani employee of the US embassy," Musaddaq Hussain, Station House Officer (SHO) of the airport police station, told AFP.
A spokesperson for the US embassy was not immediately able to provide confirmation of the arrest.
On May 5, a Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) agent, Joel Cox, was arrested at Jinnah International Airport in Karachi for carrying 15 bullets of 9mm caliber and a pistol clip in his baggage. The case was later dismissed by a court on May 19, after police failed to present evidence.
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Would a Pakistani or any citizen will get the same treatment by US authorities if caught trying to board the flight with weapons at any US airport?
Enforcing law will earn you respect nothing else, so let them go easily, enforce it and they will not try again to do such non sense in your country!
It's not armed US Citizens that are an issue in Pakistan -- it's the bad guys who roam the country which force US Citizens to carry a weapon.
@sharabi: Ofcourse they will; the guy will be sent to Guatanimo paradise for rehablitation.
Rex Minor
imagine if same thing happened at NY airport with a pakistani guy
would US do the same with any Pakistani Citizen? Surely no Come on Pakistan treat everyone with same laws & similar intentions
"The case was later dismissed by a court on May 19, after police failed to present evidence." - What a justice system!
what if the same incident would have happened at Delhi airport?
All Laws for the Locals and for Poor...
Such Double Standards would definitely lead us to further destruction
With same 15 bullets and 9mm pistol, I am pretty sure he is also an FBI agent operating under diplomatic cover. The gun and the bullet seem like a standard issue for all FBI agents undercover in Pakistan. There is no question that he won't be released sooner or later, but Agencies use such people to bargain with their counterparts, your agent against ours, Pakistan's secret service should too strike a good bargain with the Americans on this.
@Pity: What laws? The same laws that the citizens of this country don't follow themselves?
Hey I am first one to Give tomorrow's news .. "US Citizen captured earlier is set free on interference of US Consulate." . :P
will be released soon after being given VVIP protocol. Ordinary people and laws of a mercenary state ruled by a sleazy corrupt ruling class cannot expect respect from the masters of their corrupt ruling class
It is high time these people should realize that they need to follow the law and security mechanisms of the country they are living in.