Federal agents in Alaska saying they TOOK a handgun from Florida airport shooter Esteban Santiago in November after he told them his mind was being controlled by US intelligence agents – but RETURNED it to him last month after medical tests found he was NOT mentally ill.

FBI Special Agent Marlin Ritzman said: “During our initial investigation, we found no ties to terrorism. He broke no laws when he came into our office about disjointed comments about mind control.”

It’s not immediately clear if this is the same 9mm handgun Santiago used in Friday’s deadly rampage at the airport in Ft. Lauderdale, killing five people and injuring 6.

The 26-year-old Iraq war veteran had a history of erratic behavior … officials are now probing whether mental illness, or terrorism, played a role in the deadly attack.

Court papers filed Saturday show he told agents he planned the attack and bought a one-way ticket to Florida.

Santiago retrieving his gun from checked luggage after arriving on a connecting flight from Alaska.

DEBBIE WASSERMAN-SCHULTZ, highlighted on this video said: “There’s no question that we need to review not only the question of whether people should be able to travel with their firearms, even if they’re in checked baggage, but I think we need to take a hard look at the security around baggage claim areas.”

Santiago’s federal charges include carrying out violence at an airport and causing serious bodily injury. He is expected to appear in court in Ft. Lauderdale Monday.

If convicted, Santiago could face the death penalty.