It probably did nothing of the sort. Lasers are also subject to the "inverse square law"; and, it wasn't much of a laser to start with. Remember, this is the same FBI that burned up the people in Waco over trumped-up charges.
53 posts before sanity kicked in.
I read an article suggesting that the laser hit the wind-screen. This would "blind" the pilot in the same way glare from headlights on a rainy day "blinds" a driver. Until the glare disappears you cannot see the road ahead - but occular function is not disrupted.
Is the guy an idiot. Yes. But in fact there are state laws already for pointing lasers at things which carry fines of $50-$1000 per incident - not lifetime in prison or some such.
A 5 mW laser at 3000 ft can "blind" no one. This guy's attorney is going to have a good time with the FBI in the end for exaggeration and distortion. Charging this guy under the patriot act is on the order as charging a five-year old with a squirt gun with attempted armed robbery.