A woman claiming to be a Harvard student was arraigned yesterday morning in an East Boston court after telling a worker at Logan International Airport Wednesday night that there was a bomb on board an American Eagle flight.
After missing a flight to New York that was scheduled to continue on to Taiwan, Tu Tzu Chang, 24, reported to an American Eagle agent that there was a bomb in her luggage, which was aboard the plane, police charged.
The plane returned to Logan, where state police searched the plane. However, officers found no explosives on board, according to Major Bill Kronin, the commanding officer of Troop F.
University spokesperson Joe Wrinn said court officials report that Chang claimed to be a Harvard student. Wrinn also said that Chang is not a student at Harvard.
Robert Ronquillo, a court-appointed lawyer who represented Chang at her bail hearing, said, "She is not claiming she's a Harvard University student. She's saying that she attended Harvard in the past."
When asked to specify exactly when Chang attended Harvard, Ronquillo said, "I want to say the summer school, but I can't be certain."
Change is not currently a student at any college in Boston, Ronquillo said.
Phil Orlandella, a spokesperson for Logan Airport, said Chang was worried that the inclement weather, which delayed flights all over the East Coast this week, would cause her to miss a flight to Taiwan.
"She had several conversations with American Eagle" before her flight to New York was scheduled to take off, Orlandella said.
However, Chang missed her flight to John F. Kennedy International Airport and subsequently returned to the American Eagle counter to ask for her luggage, Orlandella said.
When the agent told her it was aboard the plane, somewhere between Boston and New York, Chang "was a little disturbed," he said.
"She said she wanted her bag. She said, 'How do you know there's not a bomb in my bag?'" Orlandella said. "The agent asked her, 'Are you saying there's a bomb in your bag?' And she said, 'Yes,'" he charged.
Chang, who was arraigned this morning on charges of making false reports of an explosive device and disorderly conduct, was released on $2,500 bail.
Kronin said the Taiwanese citizen would appear in court after she returned from Taiwan, where she was visiting her mother, who is ill.
Amber L. Ramage contributed to the reporting of this story.
Read more in News
Weaver Named Woman of the Year by PuddingRecommended Articles
-
JAMS Provide Chance to Explore ArtsThe Harvard JAMS (January Arts and Media Seminars) gave members of the Harvard and Cambridge communities the opportunity to explore the arts during Wintersession.
-
Men's Fencing Captures its Seventh Ivy League Title
-
College President, Concert Violinist Named New Leaders of Board of OverseersPomona College president David W. Oxtoby ’72 will take the helm of Harvard’s Board of Overseers for the 2013-2014 academic year as the governing body's new president, the University announced in a press release Monday.
-
NOTEBOOK: Crosstown Rivalry Ends in StalemateOne game after recording its first win of the season, the Harvard men’s soccer team (1-4-2) extended its unbeaten run to two games with a 0-0 double-overtime tie against the Boston Terriers (3-3-1).
-
Baker Joanne Chang Talks Sweets and Science
-
Top Nine Things I Could Not Be On Campus For And Had To Learn About SecondhandIncoming Art Chair Natalie T. Chang imagines what happened during her semester abroad.