A Chinese national was taken into custody at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport after federal investigators say he photographed classified military aircraft near Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska and planned to attack another installation before leaving the country.
Tianrui Liang, 21, is suspected of breaching a federal law that prohibits photographing defense installations without license, according to court filings filed in the Eastern District of New York.
Authorities say Liang was arrested on April 7 while attempting to board an overseas flight, only days after a warrant was issued in Nebraska.
The case focuses on activity at Offutt Air Force Base, which is home to U.S. Strategic Command, one of the Pentagon’s most sensitive installations.
According to an FBI affidavit, investigators were tipped off when a witness saw “a male holding a camera with a telescopic lens” near the base, where planes are stationed on the flight line.
Offutt houses high-value reconnaissance and command aircraft such as the RC-135 observation plane and the E-4B “Nightwatch,” also known as the military’s “doomsday plane.”
According to federal officials, Liang eventually admitted to photographing many aircraft at the facility, “including the RC-135 and the E-4B.”
According to the affidavit, Liang told investigators that he identified photographic spots using a “planespotter” website and that the photographs were for his “personal collection.”
Authorities claim he knowingly photographed restricted military assets without permission. “He was aware that photographing planes on the ground was illegal,” according to the affidavit.
Investigators reported that a subsequent analysis of his camera found “numerous photographs of planes located on the OAFB flightline,” including images of military aircraft parked on the base.
Investigators said Liang was a student at Glasgow University in Scotland who had recently traveled via Canada before entering the United States.
Authorities believe Liang entered the United States through Canada and was subsequently discovered near Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska. Investigators believe he intended to travel to Oklahoma to photograph other aircraft at Tinker Air Force Base, including the E-4B.
According to investigators, Liang purposely sought out areas from where he could watch and photograph airplanes outside military sites.
The legislation forbids photographing military sites without the permission of a base commander. Prosecutors say there is “probable cause to believe” Liang photographed aircraft at Offutt Air Force Base without authorization.
The affidavit does not state that Liang was acting on behalf of any foreign government.