Feds allege 21-year-old with telescopic lens targeted America’s most sensitive base
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A Chinese national was arrested at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport after federal authorities said he photographed sensitive military aircraft near Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska and planned to target another facility as he prepared to leave the country.
Tianrui Liang, 21, is accused of violating federal law restricting unauthorized photography of defense installations, according to court documents filed in the Eastern District of New York.
Liang was detained while trying to board an international flight on April 7, several days after an arrest warrant was issued in Nebraska, authorities said.
The case focuses on activities near Offutt Air Force Base, home to U.S. Strategic Command, one of the Pentagon’s most sensitive facilities.
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Investigators were alerted after a witness reported seeing “a male holding a camera with a telescopic lens” near the base where the planes were deployed on the flight line, according to the FBI affidavit.
Offutt is home to high-value reconnaissance and command aircraft, including the RC-135 surveillance aircraft and the E-4B “Night Watch,” often referred to as the military’s “doomsday plane.”
Federal agents said Liang later admitted to taking photographs of multiple aircraft at the base, “including an RC-135 and an E-4B.”
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A U.S. Air Force E-4B assigned to the 595th Command and Control Group at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., flies a training sortie over the Midwest, May 15, 2024. The E-4B is a militarized version of the Boeing 747-200; It consists of four engines, a swept wing design and is capable of long-range, high-altitude operations and mid-flight air refueling. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech Sergeant Codie Trimble)
Liang told investigators he used a “planespotter” website to locate photo locations and that the images were for his “personal collection,” according to the affidavit.
Authorities allege he knowingly photographed restricted military assets without permission.
“He knew it was illegal to take pictures of planes on the ground,” the affidavit said. The statement is included.
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US military personnel guide the E-4B “Nightwatch” aircraft, known as the “doomsday plane”, on the tarmac. Federal officials said a similar aircraft was photographed near Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska as part of an investigation into a Chinese national arrested in New York. (Chris Machian /Omaha World-Herald, via AP)
Investigators said a subsequent review of the camera revealed “numerous photographs of aircraft on the OAFB flight line,” including images of military aircraft parked on the base.
According to investigators, Liang was a student at the University of Glasgow in Scotland and had recently traveled through Canada before entering the United States.
Authorities said Liang entered the United States via Canada and was later found near Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska. Investigators allege he planned to travel to Oklahoma to photograph additional aircraft at Tinker Air Force Base, including the E-4B.
Investigators said Liang specifically sought out places where he could view and photograph planes from outside military installations.
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The law prohibits photographing military installations without the approval of the base commander. Prosecutors say there is “probable cause to believe” that Liang photographed planes at Offutt Air Force Base without that approval.
The affidavit does not allege that Liang was acting on behalf of any foreign government.
