BELCHERTOWN (CBS) – Shortly after midnight Tuesday, seven people were caught trespassing at the Quabbin Reservoir.
State Police say the five men and two women are from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Singapore, and “cited their education and career interests” for being in the area. The men told police they were chemical engineers and recent college graduates.
The Quabbin, in Belchertown, is one of the country’s largest man-made public water supplies. Boston’s drinking water comes from the Quabbin and the Wachusett Reservoirs.
State Police say there were no warrants or advisories on any of the individuals and “there was no evidence that the seven were committing any crime beyond the trespassing.”
All seven were allowed to leave and will be summonsed to court for trespassing. The FBI is investigating and routine checks of public water supplies have been increased following the incident.
The seven individuals currently live in Amherst, Cambridge, Sunderland, Northampton and New York City. Police have not released their names because a court date has not been set.
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WASHINGTON TIMES.com: "SEVEN FOREIGNERS DETAINED AFTER TRESPASSING NEAR MASSACHUSETTS RESERVOIR FBI investigating whether men were scouting possible terror target" by Sara Carter (SNIPPET: "The Quabbin Reservoir, a critical infrastructure site, is a heavily guarded facility and monitored by law enforcement consistently.") (May 15, 2013) (Read More…)
BOSTON.CBS LOCAL.com: Belchertown - "7 CAUGHT TRESPASSING AT QUABBIN RESERVOIR; PATROLS STEPPED UP ACROSS STATE" (SNIPPET: "State Police say the five men and two women are from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Singapore, and "cited their education and career interests" for being in the area. The men told police they were chemical engineers and recent college graduates." SNIPPET: "The seven individuals currently live in Amherst, Cambridge, Sunderland, Northampton and New York City.") (May 14, 2013) (Read More…)