OAN Staff Lillian Mann and Brooke Mallory
7:05 PM – Tuesday, April 21, 2026
A 21-year-old Chinese national and aeronautical engineering student at the University of Glasgow, Tianrui Liang, was arrested at John F. Kennedy International Airport while attempting to flee the country after purportedly photographing sensitive military assets.
Federal authorities intercepted Liang earlier this month as he prepared to board a flight to Germany, following an investigation into his activities near Offutt Air Force Base in Sarpy County, Nebraska.
According to court documents filed in the Eastern District of New York, Liang is charged with violating federal laws that prohibit the unauthorized photography of vital defense installations.
During interrogation, Liang reportedly admitted to using a “planespotter” website to scout locations near the base on March 31st, where he captured images of several high-priority aircraft. While he claimed the photos were intended for his “personal collection” and cited a passion for aviation, an FBI affidavit notes that Liang acknowledged the illegality of his actions, stating he wanted to observe the “status” of the fleet.
The gravity of the breach is heightened by the strategic importance of Offutt Air Force Base, which serves as the headquarters for U.S. Strategic Command (STRATCOM) and houses critical reconnaissance assets, including the RC-135 surveillance aircraft and the E-4B “Nightwatch” — the specialized command-and-control platform known as the military’s “doomsday plane.”
Federal agents reported that Liang admitted to photographing several aircraft at the base, “including the RC-135 and the E-4B.” Investigators were also notified after a witnesses reported seeing a man pulled off the side of the road “holding a camera with a telescopic lens” near the base — where aircrafts are stationed on the flight line.
Court documents further reveal that Liang’s activities extended beyond Nebraska. Prior to his arrest, he had scouted Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota and maintained documented plans to target Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma.
Upon reviewing his equipment, investigators discovered a significant cache of “numerous photographs” depicting military aircraft positioned directly on the Offutt flight line. These images provided detailed views of sensitive assets that are strictly protected from public surveillance.
The investigation into Liang’s background established that he was an aeronautical engineering student at the University of Glasgow who had entered the United States via Canada. Although he was traveling on a valid B1/B2 visa — a permit typically reserved for business or tourism — his specialized academic focus and methodical travel pattern between strategic military sites raised immediate red flags for federal agents.
While the FBI affidavit confirms his unauthorized surveillance and admission of guilt regarding the illegality of the photos, the document stops short of explicitly stating whether Liang was operating independently or acting as an asset for a foreign government.
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