Washington, June 4 -- Two Chinese nationals have been charged by the US Department of Justice for allegedly smuggling a dangerous biological pathogen into the United States for research purposes at the University of Michigan Laboratory.

According to the Justice Department release, Yunqing Jian (33) and Zunyong Liu (34) were charged in a criminal complaint with conspiracy, smuggling goods into the United States, making false statements, and visa fraud.

The FBI arrested Jian in connection with allegations related to Jian and Liu's smuggling of a fungus called Fusarium graminearum, which scientific literature classifies as a potential agroterrorism weapon, into the US. According to the release, the fungus causes "head blight", a disease of...