A 21-year-old Chinese national has been arrested at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport after photographing a top-secret US military aircraft at a Nebraska airport.According to federal authorities, Tianrui Liang was detained while attempting to board an international flight on April 7. Liang has been charged with violating a federal law that bans photographing defense installations without permission.The allegations center on Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska, a highly sensitive site where U.S. Strategic Command is based. The base is known for housing important military surveillance and command aircraft.According to an FBI affidavit, the investigation began when a witness saw “a male holding a camera with a telescopic lens” near the base, in the area where planes are located on the flight line.Liang later admitted to taking photographs of several aircraft stationed there “including the RC-135 and E-4B”. The E-4B aircraft is often referred to as the military’s “doomsday aircraft”. The E-4B is a heavily modified military aircraft designed to serve as a flying command center during national emergencies. It is designed to withstand nuclear explosions, electromagnetic waves and other extreme conditions and serves as a “flying Pentagon” for the US President.Liang reportedly told investigators that he had used the “Planespotter” website to identify suitable locations for photography and claimed that the images were for his “personal collection”.However, investigators claim that he was aware of the restrictions. “He knew it was illegal to take photographs of aircraft on the ground,” the affidavit said.A review of Liang’s camera revealed numerous photographs of aircraft, including photographs of military aircraft parked within the base. Liang planned to continue photographing military sites. He even intended to travel to Oklahoma to hit aircraft at Tinker Air Force Base, including the E-4B.Liang is a student at the University of Glasgow in Scotland and recently traveled to Canada before entering the United States. Officials say he entered the United States through Canada and was later found near the Nebraska base.However, it has still not been confirmed whether Liang was working on behalf of a foreign government. But prosecutors believe there is “probable cause to believe” that Liang had photographed restricted military assets without the required approval from the base commander.
