FBI says Jason Duhaime charged with planning Northeast bombing

A former Northeastern University administrator who reported an explosive package to the police at a campus lab last month is accused of fabricating the story and knowingly sharing false and misleading information about the incident with federal law enforcement, authorities said.

Jason Duhaime, the university’s former manager of new technologies and director of the Immersive Media Lab, was arrested Tuesday in Texas, with U.S. Attorney Rachael for the District of Massachusetts. S. Rollins said in a news conference. Rollins added that she could not comment on a motive because of the ongoing case.

Duheim, 45, was charged with one count of knowingly communicating misleading information about an explosive device and one count of making a false statement to federal law enforcement.

“This alleged behavior is disturbing, to say the least,” Rollins said. “Mr. Duheim’s call to 911 on September 9. 13 caused a huge law enforcement response, which resulted in the evacuation of most of the Northeastern campus and understandably panic among many Northeastern students, faculty and staff.”

Federal authorities last month charged a woman who allegedly called Boston Children’s Hospital to report a false bomb threat after an unrelated incident.

Duheim called emergency crews around 7 p.m. on Sept. 7, according to federal authorities. 13 reported an explosion. That night, Duheim told a 911 operator that he was injured by a sharp object in a hard plastic pelican box that contained a “violent note,” authorities said.

Northeastern University package explosion may have been staged, officials say

As part of the investigation, Duheim told authorities — including at least one federal agent — earlier in the day that he and Some students collected several packages from the mail area and brought them to the lab closet, Rollins said. Rollins said he told investigators that when he opened one of the boxes, a “very sharp” object flew out and through his shirt, injuring his arm. Duhaime also claimed that one of the packages contained a letter threatening the lab.

Duheim also reported that there was a second suspicious container inside the lab, authorities said. When inspected by the bomb squad later, it was deemed safe.

When investigators arrived at the scene, they found the Pelican’s crate was empty and undamaged, federal authorities said. There were also no letters inside the case, nor was there any indication that it had been subjected to an explosive or powerful discharge of “any type or scale.” The case “looks normal,” Rollins said at a news conference on Tuesday. Federal authorities said the lab’s closet also appeared normal and no debris was found. Authorities told The Washington Post at the time that Duheim was taken to a hospital, where he was treated for minor hand injuries.

A law enforcement official told The Washington Post at the time that federal authorities began investigating whether the incident was staged because Duheim’s injuries were inconsistent with those from the explosion of a pressurized canister.

In a follow-up interview with authorities, Duheim repeated the same statement to police, Rollins said, adding that he did not plan the incident. Forensic analysis of a work computer seized by investigators that belonged to Duhaime revealed a “letter word” stored in a backup folder created at 2:57 p.m. on the same day — four hours before the reported explosion, Rollin said. said. It was also last printed in September. At 4:02 p.m. on the 13th, court records show.

A Northeastern spokesperson confirmed in an email to The Washington Post that Duheim is no longer employed by the university.

“In view of what we now know about this incident, we want to make it clear that there has never been any danger to the Northeast community. As always, the safety of our students, faculty and staff is our top priority,” a university spokesperson said in an email. said in the email.

Duheim, who lives in San Antonio, plans to appear before a federal judge in Boston at a later date. Court records do not list attorneys.

Derek Hawkins, Jacob Bogage and Gina Harkins contributed to this report.

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