MIT Student With Fake Bomb Nabbed At Logan

19-Year-Old Arrested At Boston Airport Had Computer Circuit Board, Battery On Chest

(CBS/AP)  An MIT student with what police feared was a fake bomb attached to her chest was arrested at gunpoint Friday at Logan International Airport and later claimed it was artwork, officials said.

Star Simpson, 19, had a computer circuit board and wiring in plain view over a black hooded sweat shirt she was wearing, said State Police Maj. Scott Pare, the commanding officer at the airport.

"She said that it was a piece of art and she wanted to stand out on Career Day," Pare said at a news conference. "She claims that it was just art, and that she was proud of the art and she wanted to display it." (There was a career fair at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology on Thursday, according to the university's Web site.)

CBS News correspondent Bob Orr (audio) reports officials say they had to take the incident seriously. All of U.S. aviation remains under Code Orange, the second highest terror threat level.

Simpson was charged with disturbing the peace and possessing a hoax device, and was to be arraigned in East Boston District Court later Friday.

"I'm shocked and appalled that somebody would wear this type of device to an airport," Pare said.

Simpson showed "a total disregard to understand the context of the situation she is in, which is an airport of post-9/11," prosecutor Wayne Margolis said at a hearing where a not guilty plea was entered for Simpson and she was released on $750 bail. Margolis had asked for $5,000 bail.

Simpson, of Lahaina, Hawaii, was arrested Friday morning outside Terminal C, home to United Airlines, Jet Blue and other carriers.

She wore the white circuit board on her chest over a black hooded sweat shirt, Pare said at a news conference. The battery-powered rectangular device had nine flashing lights, and Simpson had Play-Doh in her hands, he said.

Two phrases that looked hand-drawn — "Socket to me" and "Course VI" — were written on the back of Simpson's sweat shirt, which authorities displayed to the media. Course VI appears to refer to MIT's major of electrical engineering and computer science.

Simpson is the secretary of MIT's Electrical Research Society, according to her lawyer. She is a graduate of the Hawaii Preparatory Academy, a private boarding school, has won school prizes for chemistry and leadership, and had received a Congressional citation for her work in robotics, said Ross Schreiber, who was appointed to represent Simpson.

He said she was not a risk to flee, cooperated with authorities and was a good student with no prior convictions. He said they would fight the charges.

"I would characterize it as almost being paranoid at this point," Schreiber said of authorities' response.

He said Simpson had gone to the airport to meet her boyfriend. "She was there for legitimate purposes," Schreiber said.

A Massachusetts Port Authority staffer manning an information booth in the terminal became suspicious when Simpson — wearing the device — approached to ask about an incoming flight, Pare said. Simpson then walked outside, and the staffer notified a nearby trooper.

The trooper, joined by others with submachine guns, confronted her in front of the terminal.

"She was immediately told to stop, to raise her hands and not to make any movement, so we could observe all her movements to see if she was trying to trip any type of device," Pare said. "Had she not followed the protocol, we might have used deadly force."

He added, "She's lucky to be in a cell as opposed to the morgue."

The terminal was not evacuated and flights were not affected, airport officials said.

Boston was the focus of a security scare Jan. 31 when dozens of battery-powered devices that featured a character making an obscene gesture with a finger were discovered in various locations. Bomb squads were deployed and some transportation links were closed temporarily. They turned out to be a promotion for the Cartoon Network. Two men were charged in that incident, but prosecutors dropped the charges after they apologized and performed community service.

[sevenveils]

Is there a law against wearing playdoh, wiring and a circuit board in plain view? What happened to freedom of expression.

This person did not even try to enter the secured portions of the terminal.

A wonderful example of an over reaction and mass paranoia.

[radiob-2009]

Your 15 minutes of fame are up but your jail sentence will last a lot longer. Stupid.

Maybe 20 years in the slammer will give her time to think straight.

[ramos937]

This young lady deserves some jail time and the book thrown at her. It is not a crime to be stupid but she should be made to pay for breaking some law. If not, some other dummy will try the same thing. Kudos to the law enforcement types that reacted.

[mjmri1]

Yes, there is a law against it. We are a nation that is free but you can not do whatever you *** well please. Yelling fire and a theatre, stuff like that. You just can''t do it. Walking around with a fake bomb on your chest? Definitely not something you should be doing, especially in Boston. We all know how crazy they get when it comes to anything resembling a bomb. However, they have a reason to be crazy about it.

[zuser-2009]

No, this is not an over reaction nor mass paranoia sevenveils.....

She should be locked up for a long time to think about what she did. That is dangerous and she is lucky to be alive after trying a stunt like that.

[name_verify]

Just another member of the loonie left who thinks 9/11 is all spoof.

[hissteps4u]

She should have known what would have happened and deserves what she gets for her stupidity.

[presronpaul]

She''s lucky they didn''t blow her away.

[ladyephesus1]

I think some heavy community service will do for her. I dont think the girl meant any harm. Shes 19, still young, maybe not so bright, but just a kid really.

[gunnerv1]

What a dumb S*H*I*T*

[blackbug99]

What, did M.I.T lower it''s standards? Of course it''s illegal to pull a prank like this for attention. She easily could have been a decoy, distracting security personnel from the real point of attack. What if someone on the security team was injured rushing to protect the terminal, or a civilian, or the girl herself? This wasn''t a liberal stunt or a conservative stunt...this was a stupid dangerous stunt.

[pauperhill]

This is no different from pointing a toy gun at an armed officer - you are taking your life into your own hands. Not only was she incredibly stupid, but also very lucky.
On the other hand, maybe it was an exercise to see how all the personnel at the airport would react - not a well thought one, though.

[remmeler]

They can find fake terrorists, people that want to be terrorists with no access to anything real, but they don''t seem to find any real terrorists

[robertkjjj]

Just great. Now the liberals will use HER as an example right along with Timothy McVeigh as "proof" that not all bombers and terrorists are Muslims. We should all thank her profusely for giving the idiots out there even more dumbsh*t reasons not to do any so-called "profiling" at airports.

[boldwin223]

If these objects had been in her purse nothing would have been done. The way the cops are these days the safe thing to do is stay home.

[martin9p2]

There is an unspoken rule in life that ignorant people cannot be protected from themselves. So this girl should thank her lucky stars (pun, get it?) to be alive -- police didn''t owe it to her. I am pleased they nabbed her so that real terrorists know that security is serious.

[myidoncbs]

Paranoia strikes deep.
Into your life it will creep.
It starts when you''re always afraid.
Step out of line, the man come and take you away.

We have become a country full of paranoid lunatics. It''s like a very bad nightmare. Everyone is afraid of everything. It simply is no way to live life.

[martin9p2]

Maybe she''s not so ignorant after all, and this was attempted "suicide by police officer". ??

[pwrslm]

You got thousands of women per hour with purses that pose a far more significant threat of a bomb than a board and a battery stuck to a t-shirt.....

This was far from an ideal situation for law enforcement, but in reality, it shows us just how lame thier efforts really are....

[cameranut-2009]

What Ms. Simpson did was wrong, and she knew it.

Any intelligent person knows that in today''s world terrorism is real. There are both misguided and evil people that want to harm and kill us. We have the right to ensure our lives and safety and to take whatever means necessary to achieve this.

She is a very fortunate young lady and should personally apologize and thank each one of the law enforcement personnel for not turning her into fertilizer.

[myidoncbs]

"I am pleased they nabbed her so that real terrorists know that security is serious."

Really? They caught someone with a fake bomb, prominently displayed for all to see, *after* that person had entered and then left a "secure" area! That is a demonstration of INCOMPETENCE, not serious security.

There is NO SECURITY for anyone as long as we keep making enemies. No amount of money, guns, bombs, cops, military or "security" personel, etc., can make you safe. Killing innocent people in Iraq can''t make you safe. Bush can''t make you safe.

War: the only winning move is not to play the game.

[stephengosson]

Hoo-boy!!
This gal rates right up there with the student who got tased at the Kerry gathering, in terms of getting the proverbial 15 minutes of fame.
Hope there aren''t potential copy-cats mulling these ignorant acts because the outrage over tasing is nothing compared to the use of deadly-force in these skittish times.
On the bright side, I''m pretty sure that the arriving party is now aware that the MIT gal WAS at the airport and did, in fact, "stand out from the crowd.".

[lewiston14]

That had to be the dumb stunt of the month. She came from where MIT? so you would assume she was smart. They usually make 6 figures the first year at work. So now she can look forwared to a career at Burgerking. What a waste. Wish I could have afforded to go to MIT

[bizzzz-2009]

Just another Democrat registered voter.

[jumkey]

Here''s the actual headline:

Disturbed or immature student makes obviously fake bomb and exercises poor judgment.

American response?

She''s lucky the cops didn''t kill her!
The cop''s SHOULD have killed her!
God I hate liberals!
Arggghh!! Hate Arabs!
Drool, gaack, frazlle, ack!!!!

Jesus on wheat toast Americans are bat ***** insane.

[jetlizhan]

well missy, you get the dumb@ss award of the day.

[michellem99-2009]

As an American and woman with handicaps,I feel MyIDonCBS said it the best as I feel the same as that lass/lad. We have become a nation of FEAR each has let it happen and Bush is the 2 face asre that changed it. I hate the changes as America is a prisom. Yer worried about my purse. Don''t be. I worry more about them baggy pants and what the wearer might have hiden in them. A gun or a club, knives . I can''t see the bloody it. I don''t aprove of this girl''s behaviour and true she should not have done it. She knew better at that age and learning. I do feel she crossed the line.

[tank611]

There is NO SECURITY for anyone as long as we keep making enemies. No amount of money, guns, bombs, cops, military or "security" personel, etc., can make you safe. Killing innocent people in Iraq can''''t make you safe. Bush can''''t make you safe.
Posted by MyIDonCBS at 01:14 PM : Sep 21, 2007

We are not making enemies,you just want people to think we are. Name one country that was an ally of the United States before the Iraq war that is not an ally now. We are not killing innocent people in Iraq. 95% of the people who have been killed in Iraq have been killed by MUSLIM insurgents and militias,NOT AMERICAN TROOPS.

[funkiwiteboy]

oh! for the love of fame...

[kwameb-2009]

Simpson was "extremely lucky she followed the instructions or deadly force would have been used," Pare said. "She''s lucky to be in a cell as opposed to the morgue."

Is it just me or should State Police Maj. Scott Pare go f**K himself?

[brianp55]

"She''s a wonderful person. She''s talented, and she devotes major portions of her time to helping people build electronic projects," Anderson said.

She''s also just plain STUPID.

[rushlimpdrug]

Quick!
Someone call the cops, CBS is showing a picture of a bomb looking object!
Everybody duck!

[boldwin223]

We are not making enemies,you just want people to think we are. Name one country that was an ally of the "United States before the Iraq war that is not an ally now. We are not killing innocent people in Iraq. 95% of the people who have been killed in Iraq have been killed by MUSLIM insurgents and militias,NOT AMERICAN TROOPS."

Posted by tank611 at 01:40 PM : Sep 21, 2007

It''s all George W Bush''s fault. No war no hate no killing.

[hissteps4u]

What you do not see as of yet is the Girl who was teazed was belligerent, drunk and acting out due to her drunk state and now she is crying the blues for her drunk actions. To Bad so Sad she showed such poor judgment then and deserves her fate for her actions and belligerent actions.

[mrassekh]

Kids! What''re ya gonna do? Must have been one of those "seemed like a good idea at the time" things.

[gheemaster38]

She can thank whatever god she worships (If she worships one) that she didnt get her head blown off by a trigger ready cop.. In this day and age with videos of Bin ladin being released and terror acts.. she would have to gall to where a device like that. She should be thankful some crazed passengers didnt attack her and tear her too pieces. Yes, I think charges should be filed to let people know this wont be tolerated... Just like if you tell the teller at the bank this is a robbery it is a felony. This should be too.

[gheemaster38]

by the way is there a pattern of stupidity developing with that last name "Simpson"?

[gangesdak]

She should do community service, preferably for the victims of 911. Maybe, just maybe, she may she may seee her callousness.

[zootallures2]

"I''m shocked and appalled that somebody would wear this type of device to an airport," Pare said.

Have you noticed the garbage you neo-cons and zionists are teaching and pushing in the media? Now why do you think after 3 million years, people decided following God and good was the only way to go? One of these days, it will be a real ones in a plane next to Airforce One or Rockefeller''s private jet. And that''s how nature gets rid of yo-yos! Nature''s operating system has real intellegence not artificial...lol. Bozos!

[extremophil]

She must be one of them there MIT Honor students. Smart, smart girl.

yeah, its just you, i would have blowin her f**kin head off.

[cepe10-2009]

The Trooper should be commented and awarded the PSGI (paranoid, stupid, gestapo, idiot) award for the year and then deported to China where he belongs.

[mitch0927]

zootallures2, instead of saying God, you use Nature....YOU MORON...it''s the same analogy. You''re the BOZO!!

[sevenveils]

After looking at the pictures I believe the response to her choice of clothing is absolutely mass paranoia. Anyone with half a brain can see the humor in her actions. Don''t mind the hidden bombs and guns that pass by everyday, pick on a girl with a bit of wiring taped to her shirt. Bah, America - GROW UP

Then meaybe she was a bit naive ti think she wouldn''t get in trouble.

[jshmks]

She probably wants to kill herself. Too scared to slice herself or w/e, so she makes a fake bomb so she can get shot, it''ll be unexpected and painless for her. Think about it, she can''t be that dumb to just take play-do and a hot dog, and say I got dynamite strapped to me.

She''s probably depressed.

[cepe10-2009]

With State Police Maj. Scott Pare like individuals on the job -we all need to really worry! Any real criminal will easily slip by while he is distracted by just about anything...

I too think he and his trooper should in fact go f**k themselves - after they have had a brain transplant that is and charge themselves with attempting to cause public hysteria over a innocent and completely legal act. Actually they should charge themselves with disorderly conduct...

[myidoncbs]

tank611: If you haven''t noticed that the American soldiers in Iraq have been killing Iraqi citizens, then you are too du-mb to converse with. And what about the "private contractors", aka mercenaries, like Blackwater. They are tools of the occupying army.

Most of the world HATES the USA now due to our blind arrogance and wanton violence. A few bootlickers still pretend to be our friends, the ones that we can easily bribe. The rest live in constant fear that the US will turn it''s sights on them next time, and that will be the end of their freedom, then end of their country, the end of their lives.

War is a sign of failure. The moment you go to war, you are declaring that you have failed to get what you want by civilized methods, and you have resorted to barbarism. Even more so in the case of an illegal war of aggression, such as our attack, invasion, and occupation of Iraq.

People want to live their lives in peace. You don''t get peace through war. You only get suffering, pain, misery, and death. We were not attacked by Iraq. We attacked Iraq. This is one of the most shameful, disgusting, horrible event in the 200+ years of our country''s existence. It has already destroyed most of what once made this country great.

Today we:

(continues...)

[myidoncbs]

(continued from before)

Today we:

* live in constant fear
* randomly strike out violently at others
* have lost the single most important determinant of freedom, the right to habeus corpus
* have borrowed money from our children to pay for killing other people''s children
* have lost the right to privacy, the right to peaceably assemble, the right to freely speak our minds (except where it makes little difference)
* have lost our representative government (70% of the people say "get out of Iraq", Bush says "stay in Iraq forever", Bush wins.)

None of this is good, none of it is the America we were taught to love, all of it began with FEAR. Bush, the neocons, the GOP, they are the party of FEAR.

"Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration." - Frank Herbert, Dune.

[VTchemist]

Star light.....not bright.