Image by Laslovarga CC BY-SA 3.0 - The man who was responsible for faking a bomb threat in NYC last year pleaded guilty to his charges
- Jason Paul Smith admitted to faking a bomb threat against the Statue of Liberty that resulted to a mass evacuation
- He said he is currently being treated for mental health
Last year, a bomb threat against the iconic Statue of Liberty in New York was made which resulted to the evacuation of thousands of tourists from Liberty Island in New York harbor. Recently, the suspect for the bomb threat pleaded guilty to making a fake bomb threat against the internationally renowned tourist spot.
42-year-old Jason Paul Smith, the suspect, admitted to one count of giving false and misleading information. He pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Vernon Broderick in Manhattan. Smith said he was currently having treatment for his mental health.
Smith now faces a maximum five-year imprisonment at his scheduled sentencing on September 6 later this year. The lawyer representing Smith, Jennifer Willis, a federal public defender, said her client is satisfied with the deal.
Smith, who comes from Harts, West Virginia, was accused of making a fake threat that will blow up the Statue of Liberty in April 2015. When he made the threat via a phone call, he introduced himself as an “ISI terrorist” named Abdul Yasin. Local authorities said he called from his iPad to New York City’s 911 system using a service for the hearing-impaired.
The iPad’s registration was traced back to Smith. They discovered that he also made two 911 calls in May 2015 and identified himself as an “ISIS Allah bomb maker.” Back then, he threatened to attack Times Square and kill police officers at the Brooklyn Bridge.
Based on court records, he was arrested in Texas in August and the following month, he was released on bail.
Over 3,000 people were evacuated from Liberty Island after officials heard about the bomb scare. After four hours, officials gave the signal that it was all clear and safe.
Brendan Pierson from Reuters said authorities suspected a fugitive named Abdul Rahman Yasin.
Smith attended a school for the deaf and the blind. He used a language interpreter during his court appearance earlier this week.
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