A 21-year-old Chinese national has been arrested at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport after photographing a top secret US military aircraft at a Nebraska air base.
Tianrui Liang was taken into custody on April 7 while attempting to board an international flight, according to federal authorities. Liang has been charged with violating a federal law that restricts photographing defence installations without authorisation.
The allegations centre on Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska, a highly sensitive site that houses US Strategic Command. The base is known for housing important military surveillance and command aircraft.
According to an FBI affidavit, the investigation began after a witness reported seeing “a male holding a camera with a telescopic lens” near the base, in an area where aircraft are positioned on the flight line.
Liang later admitted to taking photographs of several aircraft stationed there, “including the RC-135 and the E-4B.” The E-4B aircraft is often referred to as the military’s “doomsday plane”. E-4B is a heavily modified military aircraft designed to serve as a flying command centre during national emergencies. It is built to withstand nuclear blasts, electromagnetic pulses and other extreme conditions and serves as a "flying Pentagon" for the US president.
Liang reportedly told investigators that he had used a “planespotter” website to identify locations suitable for photography and claimed the images were for his “personal collection."
However, investigators claim he was aware of the restrictions. “He knew it was illegal to take pictures of the planes on the ground,” the affidavit states.
A review of Liang’s camera revealed numerous photographs of planes, including images of military aircraft parked within the base. Liang had plans to continue photographing military sites. He even intended to travel to Oklahoma to target aircraft at Tinker Air Force Base, including the E-4B.
Liang is a student at Glasgow University in Scotland and had recently travelled through Canada before entering the United States. Officials say he crossed into the US via Canada and was later found near the Nebraska base.
However, it is still not confirmed that Liang was acting on behalf of any foreign government. But prosecutors think there is “probable cause to believe” that Liang photographed restricted military assets without the required approval from a base commander.
