NEW YORK, April 21: Agents of Atlanta’s Joint Terrorism Task Force have arrested a 21-year-old mechanical engineering student on a charge of material support of terrorism, as part of an investigation that federal authorities describe as ongoing and international in scope, the New York Times reported on Friday.

The student, Syed Haris Ahmad, who attends the Georgia Tech University, was born in Pakistan and is a naturalised American citizen. His case was disclosed after media outlets in Atlanta ran reports on his detention.

On March 23, a grand jury in Atlanta indicted Mr Ahmad and charged him with undisclosed violations of two sections of the United States Code: Section 956, which deals with conspiracy to kill, kidnap, maim, or injure persons or damage property in a foreign country; and Section 2332b, which covers acts of terrorism transcending national boundaries.

Mr Ahmad pleaded not guilty. He is being held at an undisclosed place without bond and is being represented by Jack R. Martin, a local criminal defence lawyer.

The NYT said that a man who answered the phone at the home of Mr Ahmad’s family in Dawsonville only said: “We have no comments.”

The newspaper said two court documents in the case were unsealed by a judge on Thursday.