An ISU graduate student awaits trial after he was charged with attempting to export sophisticated military equipment to Pakistan, his home country.U.S. Customs Service agents arrested 36-year-old Tauquir Khan, graduate student in electrical and computer engineering, early Wednesday and charged him with conspiracy to violate the Arms Export Control Act, said Customs spokesperson Dean Boyd.His brother, Tanzeem Khan, a naturalized U.S. citizen, also was arrested in Derby, Kan., on the same charge.

Customs officials confiscated two pan-tilt-zoom cameras that can be used to survey troop movement in battle, Boyd said.”Basically, these are very sophisticated cameras that are designed for drones … which are remote controlled aircraft,” he said. “You can fly it without a pilot, and you can imagine what that would do for surveillance.”John McCarroll, director of university relations, said Khan had completed the requirements for a master’s degree, but he is not enrolled in classes or employed by the university this semester.

Registrar Kathleen Jones said Khan enrolled at Iowa State as a graduate student in the fall of 1992, and he is in the country on a student visa.Provost Rollin Richmond said he is not aware of any U.S. Custom contact with the university regarding Khan.”There would be no particular need for them to contact us,” he said.Dennis Peterson, director of international education services, said the diversity international students bring to campus “is mutually rewarding” for all students.

“I think it’s a great opportunity for the students from Pakistan to come to Iowa State,” he said.