Five former University of Michigan students have been charged with federal crimes after allegedly covering up their activities near a National Guard training base in Michigan. The individuals, all Chinese nationals, were caught taking photos of sensitive military equipment at Camp Grayling during a joint training exercise with the Taiwanese military in August 2023.
The group, identified as Zhekai Xu, Renxiang Guan, Haoming Zhu, Jingzhe Tao, and Yi Liang, told a National Guard officer that they were photographing a meteor shower and thought they were in a public campground. The incident occurred during a live-fire exercise at the base.
Four months later, authorities discovered images of the military installation on one of the men’s devices during an airport security check. The FBI’s investigation revealed that the group had taken photos of military vehicles and equipment at the site, contradicting their initial explanation.
The students now face charges of making false statements, conspiracy, and destroying evidence after allegedly trying to delete the photos. Federal authorities have stated that the individuals are not in custody but will be arrested if they come into contact with law enforcement.
Camp Grayling, located in northern Michigan, is a major training facility used by U.S. and international forces. The case remains under investigation.
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