WASHINGTON, April 9: The US government has formally charged a Pakistani businessman with illegally exporting devices from the United States that can also be used in developing nuclear weapons.

Humayun A. Khan had arranged a shipment to Pakistan of equipment that could be used to test, develop and detonate nuclear weapons, a spokesman for the Homeland Security Department told reporters on Friday.

Although Mr Khan’s alleged accomplice, Israeli businessman Asher Karni who is now helping the US authorities investigate the case, had also admitted to making unlawful shipments to India, no charges were brought against any Indian.

A federal grand jury here indicted Mr Khan, 47, on charges of conspiracy and violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. If convicted, he could be awarded a maximum of 35 years imprisonment, according to a news release from Homeland Security’s Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Homeland Security spokesman Dean Boyd told reporters that Mr Khan lived in Islamabad and the US was expected to formally ask Pakistan to help bring him to Washington for trial.

As part of the case, the US authorities unsealed last week a guilty plea by Mr Karni, 51, who lived in Cape Town. Mr Karni, who was arrested in 2004, admitted making unlawful exports to both India and Pakistan.

The indictment says Mr Khan is owner and chief executive of the Pakland PME Corp., Islamabad. Sometime around August 2002, he had asked Mr Karni, owner of Top-Cape Technology in Cape Town, to help him acquire certain models of oscilloscopes made by Tektronix Inc of Beaverton, Oregon. Mr Khan was an authorized distributor for Tektronix in Pakistan.

Oscilloscopes, which trace the voltage of electrical signals, can be used to develop and test nuclear weapons and missile delivery systems, the US said.