Glasgow Student Faces Prison Time for Photographing US Military Aircraft
An aeronautical engineering student at Glasgow University has pleaded guilty to federal charges after being apprehended by the FBI at JFK Airport while attempting to depart the United States. Tianrui Liang was found to have been photographing sensitive US military aircraft, including strategic nuclear bombers and command and control planes at Offutt Air Force Base, which is home to some of America’s most classified assets. His arrest followed an inquiry after local authorities were alerted to his activities and the fact he holds a Chinese passport. Liang, described as having been “obsessively engaged in the hobby of airplane spotting,” now faces up to a year in prison and a substantial fine.
John Q. Hosedrinker