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Posted on 04/19/2026 2:57:24 PM PDT by DFG
A Chinese man studying at a Scottish university has been arrested after taking photographs of planes at a US air base.
Tianrui Liang, who is studying aeronautical engineering at the University of Glasgow, has been charged with taking unauthorised images at Offutt Air Force Base, which is home to the US Strategic Command.
The 21-year-old was arrested at JFK Airport in New York on April 7, after being spotted photographing a plane famed for its ability to withstand a nuclear attack.
An eyewitness at the Nebraska base had alerted authorities to a man in a vehicle holding a camera with a telescopic lens while a military plane was on the runway.
Documents filed by the FBI claim that on March 31, the student documented multiple aircrafts at Offutt, including a Boeing E-4B which is nicknamed the ‘doomsday plane’.
The aircraft can act as a mobile command post for senior American military and government officials during national emergencies.
Liang appeared before a court in New York on April 8 and was initially released on bail, but was taken back into custody the following day when the government warned he was a ‘considerable flight risk’.
Noah Heflin, a special agent with the FBI, wrote that Liang told counterintelligence teams he knew his actions were illegal, but that the photos were ‘only for his own personal collection’.
The student is a keen plane spotter and has previously travelled around the UK to photograph military and commercial aircraft.
Mr Heflin’s affidavit alleges that Liang used a plane spotting website to learn where planes are parked, serviced and loaded at numerous airfields and airports, including the Offutt base.
According to legal documents, Liang flew out to Canada on March 26 to meet a friend who is studying at Columbia University in New York.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
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Gee, I wonder what he and his "friend" discussed. It would be such a coincidence if his "friend" also photographed military aircraft in the U.S. as a "hobby."
Glasgow student held in US over ‘doomsday plane’ photos...A Chinese man studying at a Scottish university.
“The student is a keen plane spotter and has previously travelled around the UK to photograph military and commercial aircraft.”
He’s like a little old lady twitcher. Should have just shot the little twerp.
Chinese spies in the USA.
Why hasn’t the ‘friend’ been arrested? The FBI is a friggen clown show. Run by a bug eyed, souse of a clown.
Or Maryland father.
When did it become illegal to photograph this aircraft? How many other aircraft have this distinction? Is there a list somewhere on the Internet of all of the aircraft we aren’t allowed to photo including a photo of it so we can prevent our own arrest?
and ‘Florida Man’
Pictures of the E-4B are all over the internet. Maybe he has done more than just taking pictures of this plane. Maybe he’s known to be a spy because of other stuff he has done.
You mean bug-eyed Adam Schiff?
This is what I was wondering. I’ve many times seen people on Highway 85 that curves around the edge of one of Eglin AFB’s runways. On days the F-15s, F-16s, and now F-35s are doing touch and goes practicing landing people would be out there with telephoto lenses getting really up close shots (planes <200 ft).
Maybe he trespassed on the base, and the photos proved he was somewhere he wasn’t authorized to be?
Thanks.
L
That sounds fun to charges him. But there has never been a time when standing on public property you can’t take a photograph of anything your eyes can see. If a plane goes by, or citizen, supposed to know which planes they can, and cannot take a photograph of from where they legally stand?
They’re doing the same thing with people, taking pictures of bridges, the federal, reserve, headquarters, etc.
This is some authoritarian bullshit. It doesn’t need to happen in America.
Exactly… If I’m on his jury, I vote not guilty. Expel him, revoke any tourist visa, never let him back in or whatever. But airport photography from public area is not illegal.
At least 300,000 now. Soon to be 600,000.
In the article, is there a photo of the plane he photographed?
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