Chinese couple charged with smuggling a biological pathogen into the U.S.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/chinese-couple-charged-smuggling-biological-pathogen-us-rcna208658Open linkView original on lemmy.cahttps://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/chinese-couple-charged-smuggling-biological-pathogen-us-rcna208658Open linkView original on lemmy.ca
It was a post-doc student who wanted to continue his research at UMich on the fungus to develop ways to prevent blight. His peer-reviewed published research on the topic is available through google scholar: Google Scholar Link. He was wrong to try and sneak it in, but this looks like a dedicated scientific researcher making a bad decision - not an attempted terrorist attack.
Well admitting to the crime is a poor defense.
Denying it confirms the intent behind the move was malicious. Wether it was done by him or anyone else, so this pretty much confirms it as an attempted attack on the US by China or at worst, a single chinese person.
In the article : “Liu stated that he intentionally hid the samples in his backpack because he knew there were restrictions on the importation of the materials,” the complaint says. “Liu confirmed that he had intentionally put the samples in a wad of tissues so CBP Officers would be less likely to find and confiscate them, and he could continue his research in the United States.”
"But an examination of Liu’s and Jian’s electronic devices uncovered WeChat messages from 2022 in which they discussed smuggling seeds into the United States."
Read every one of his 30 published Google Scholar-linked articles.
Academic Nerds: famously good on the spot when challenged by authority figures.
That was only his initial story. Immediately after that, the article says he intentionally hid the samples in (used?) tissues so CBP would be less likely to find them.
giving them benefit of doubt - they still fucked up. they should get a permit with help of their PI and bring it in overtly with all proper paperwork
The last of us 3?
That could be apocalyptic for our food supply
Honestly? Chicken Little didn't scream as loudly as you have over this.
And avoiding the facts that you don't agree with, ie: the agricultural pathogen is already in North America.
You first.
Cue the conspiracy theorists losing their shit in 3... 2... 1...
Wuhan boogaloo 2, The Great Blightening
Isn’t this how Interstellar started?
十二只猴子进入了聊天.
On a more serious note, this seems more like a case of poor judgment than attempted terrorism.