Rapper T.I. performs onstage during MTV's 'Total Request Live' at the MTV Times Square Studios Monday, July 2, 2007 in New York. T.I.'s latest album 'T.I. vs T.I.P.' hits stores Tuesday. - ap

ATLANTA:

A federal judge on Monday ordered Grammy Award-winning rapper T.I. held in a U.S. jail for at least three more days pending a bail hearing after his arrest on illegal weapons charges.

Federal agents from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives arrested the rapper in Atlanta on Saturday, the day he was due to have appeared at the BET hip hop awards, where he was nominated for nine awards, more than any other artiste.

They said the arrest came as he took delivery of three machine guns and two silencers a bodyguard purchased on his behalf. T.I. was convicted of a drug offence in 1998 and is prohibited from owning or buying firearms.

Court appearance

The brief court appearance on Monday was the first time T.I., born Clifford Harris, had appeared publicly since he left fans bewildered by not showing up for the awards, one of the biggest events on the hip hop calendar.

He appeared nervous as he was led into court in handcuffs and responded "Yes sir," or "Yes, your Honour" to questions as Judge Alan Baverman explained the legal process he faced.

Family members, some of whom cried, packed into the small courtroom.

"Federal law requires that I keep you in custody pending the holding of a detention hearing," said Baverman, who set the hearing for Friday.

Government prosecutors said they would request that T.I. remain in jail until trial, which they said was standard in such cases.

Guns, silencers

Later, government agents displayed to reporters 10 guns, including an AK-47 and two AR-15s, they said had been found in T.I.'s possession. They also showed the guns and silencers they said he had just received when he was arrested.

"Machine guns and silencers pose serious dangers to our community. The last place (they) ... should be is in the hands of a convicted felon," said U.S. Attorney David Nahmias, adding T.I. could face up to 20 years in prison, if convicted of both counts.

T.I. spent two weeks at No. 1 on the U.S. pop chart this summer with his album T.I. vs T.I.P., his second chart-topper within 18 months. The album sold 468,000 units in its first week, making it one of the biggest debuts of the year.

The 27-year-old Atlanta native, who won two Grammy awards in February and was nominated for two others, is also co-chief executive of Grand Hustle Records.