Chinese College Student Arrested for Allegedly Photographing US Military Planes at Nebraska Base

‘The tentacles of Chinese Communist Party spy apparatus poses a real threat to our country,’ Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen said.
Chinese College Student Arrested for Allegedly Photographing US Military Planes at Nebraska Base
The District Court for the Eastern District of New York City on Feb. 7, 2019. Spencer Platt/Getty Images
Frank Fang
Frank Fang
Reporter
|Updated:
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A Chinese college student has been arrested after federal authorities discovered that he had illegally photographed U.S. military planes near Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska, an incident that prompted concerns from Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.) and Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen about national security.

Liang Tianrui, 21, was arrested at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport on April 7 while attempting to leave the United States, after a judge in Nebraska issued a warrant four days earlier, according to a court document filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York. He is now being charged with one count of photographing or sketching defense installations without authorization.
Frank Fang
Frank Fang
Reporter
Frank Fang is a Taiwan-based journalist. He covers news in China and Taiwan. He holds a Master's degree in materials science from National Tsing Hua University in Taiwan.
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