Exclusive:Student at leading Scots university pleads guilty over US military images
21 year-old arrested ahead of return flight to Glasgow
A student at a leading Scottish university is facing prison in th US after pleading guilty to taking unauthorised photographs of aircraft at a major US milita
Tianrui Liang, who is studying aeronautical engineering at the University of Glasgow, admitted taking the images at Offutt Air Force Base, home to the US Strategic Command, without permission.
The 21 year-old faces up to a year in prison and a significant fine after taking the photographs at the Nebraska site, which is home to some of the most advanced reconnaissance aircraft in the US Air Force fleet.
As revealed by Scotland on Sunday, Liang, who had been studying in Glasgow for the past three years, was detained at New York’s John F Kennedy Airport on 7 April after the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) obtained an arrest warrant. The Chinese national had a reservation for a one way flight back to Glasgow via Frankfurt.
According to the FBI, the student took pictures of several aircraft at the base near Omaha. They included a Boeing RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft and a Boeing E-4B, better known as the ‘Doomsday plane’ due its ability to serve as a survivable mobile command post.
A complaint charged Liang with the violation of what is known as title 18 of the United States code, section 795 - legislation which prevents anyone from photographing, sketching, drawing or mapping “vital” military and naval installations or equipment without permission.
In the wake of his arrest, US attorney, Lesley Woods, said: “Any individuals who unlawfully attempt to acquire sensitive information about military aircraft located in the District of Nebraska will be held maximumly accountable under federal law.”
The US Department of Justice said Liang had crossed the Canadian-US border on 28 March on a valid B1/B2 visa - designed for temporary, short-term visits to the US combining tourism and business purposes.
It said that he was present at Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota in the days leading up to his visit to the high security air force installation in Nebraska, where he had wanted to photograph the B1-B aircraft, a strategic bomber. It said he then drove to New York after being confronted by the FBI in Nebraska.
A petition filed with the US District Court for Nebraska shows that Liang’s defence lawyer, Jeffrey Thomas, based in the Federal Public Defender’s Omaha office, filed a guilty plea on behalf of his client earlier this month.
Mr Thomas also filed a motion with the court in which he argued sentencing guidelines meant that Liang should receive a sentence of no more than six months. Under the legislation, he could also face a fine of up to $100,000 (£85,890).
The judge presiding over the case, Michael Nelson, ordered that Liang remain in custody, stating that the court had “limited information” about the student, his family, and ties to other countries.
According to court filings, Liang is scheduled to be sentenced at the Omaha court on 18 June.
A spokesman for the University of Glasgow said it did not comment on individual students.