The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a formal clarification on Thursday stating that the individual arrested in the US state of Delaware for illegal possession of a machine gun is an Afghan national. The statement directly countered what it described as a “wave of propaganda” by Indian media outlets falsely attempting to link the arrested man to Pakistan.
Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi provided definitive details about the suspect’s nationality. “Luqmaan Khan is an Afghan national who has spent most of his life in the US,” Andrabi stated. He further clarified that the arrested individual had only spent a brief period in Pakistan as an Afghan migrant. This dismissed any substantive connection to the country.
The suspect, identified as 25-year-old Luqmaan Khan from Wilmington, Delaware, was charged this week after a significant weapons discovery. According to the US Attorney’s Office, police and federal agents uncovered a cache in his car on November 24, 2025. The recovered items included a loaded .357-calibre handgun fitted with a conversion-brace kit, multiple extended magazines, a ballistic plate, and a notebook containing a building layout labelled “UD Police Station”.
25-Year-Old Delaware Man Charged After Machinegun and Manifesto are Found
According to court documents, on November 24, New Castle County Police Department officers initiated a traffic stop on Luqmaan Khan of Wilmington. During the stop, Khan resisted arrest and was taken into… pic.twitter.com/VogQZ2tUt0
— FBI (@FBI) December 2, 2025A subsequent search of Khan’s residence on November 25 by the FBI and New Castle County Police yielded more evidence. Law enforcement recovered a Glock 19 handgun equipped with an illegal machinegun conversion device, commonly known as a “switch”. They also found a .556 rifle with optical sights. Additionally, eleven additional extended magazines, hollow point ammunition, and a tactical vest fitted with a ballistic plate were discovered.
Khan currently faces federal charges for machinegun possession, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment if convicted. Prosecutors have also levied additional charges for multiple weapons offences, resisting arrest, and other related infractions.
The investigation remains active and is being conducted jointly by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the New Castle County Police Department.
The Foreign Office’s prompt clarification aims to preempt and neutralise misinformation. It reinforces factual reporting around international incidents involving individuals erroneously associated with Pakistan.
