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July 17, 2008

Note: The following text is a quote:

http://buffalo.fbi.gov/dojpressrel/pressrel08/falsebomb071708.htm

MAN ARRESTED FOR FALSELY REPORTING A BOMB PLOT

BUFFALO, N.Y.—United States Attorney Terrance P. Flynn announced a Criminal Complaint was filed today in United States District Court, charging Matthew Koziol, 27, with falsely reporting a plot to bomb Thursday at the Square, which takes place at Lafayette Square, in the City of Buffalo, as well as making material false statements to Task Force Officers of the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. It should be noted that the fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy C. Lynch stated that the Complaint charges that on June 26, 2008, the defendant telephoned the Buffalo Police Department and reported that he had overheard three men discussing a plot to bomb Thursday at the Square. When questioned further by the FBI task force, the defendant provided the same story. Due to the immediacy of the threat, representatives of the FBI, Federal Protective Service, New York State Police, Erie County Sheriff’s Office and the Buffalo Police Department responded to Lafayette Square in downtown Buffalo. After further investigation, FBI agents determined that the defendant had lied about the bomb plot.

United States Attorney Flynn stated that this Complaint demonstrates that the government will continue to vigorously investigate and prosecute those who communicate hoaxes via the telephone or any other medium of commerce. Mr. Flynn also observed that while FBI agents were pursuing leads in this case, which proved in the end to be a hoax, the agents’ time was diverted from pursuing other, more serious terrorism-related matters, which itself poses a danger to the community.

The Complaint was the culmination of an investigation on the part of the Buffalo Police Department under the direction of H. McCarthy Gibson, New York State Police under the direction of Superintendent Harry J. Corbitt and Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, under the direction of Laurie J. Bennett.