Carmichael interrogated by NIA

Officers of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) interrogated on Wednesday the 61-year-old American traveller who was detained at the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) a week ago after a knife was found in his baggage, reports Vijaita Singh.

Officers of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) interrogated on Wednesday the 61-year-old American traveller who was detained at the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) a week ago after a knife was found in his baggage.

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The traveller Winston Marshal Carmichael (61) was questioned at length at the Lampur detention centre run by the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) in northwest Delhi.

A team of Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) visited the New York residence of the traveller and verified his details.

Indian authorities, including Delhi Police, are awaiting a report from the FBI to give a clean chit to Carmichael.

Carmichael, a retired farmer who converted to Islam at the age of 23, has been on a visit to the Indian subcontinent for the past four months as part of the Tablighi Jamaat — group that propagates the Faith —whose members visit mosques and college campuses in small bands. He was detained after a knife hidden in a raw shilajit rock (used in ayurveda ) was found in his baggage.

“We will take a decision only after we receive reports from concerned agencies and the forensic reports of the shilajit rock,” said OP Mishra, deputy commissioner of police, IGI airport. No case has been registered yet.

“I do not know why they are holding me back here,” said Carmichael.

“My wife is suffering from cancer. I have to meet her. The embassy officials told me that they have cleared my case,” said Carmichael.