Eldo Kim, a-20-year-old Harvard University student has been arrested and charged with making false bomb threats that led to the evacuation of four buildings on Monday morning. Kim of Cambridge admitted to the FBI that he had sent the threats to avoid taking a final exam.
The hoax e-mails with the subject line 'bombs placed around campus' were sent around 8:30 a.m.to two university officials, the campus newspaper and the Harvard University Police Department. It listed four campus sites with 'shrapnel bombs.'
"Shrapnel bombs placed in science center, sever hall, emerson hall, thayer hall, 2/4. Guess correctly. Be quick for they will go off soon," Kim writes in the e-mail, NY Daily News reports.
The threats forced the University officials to cancel the exam on that day. When the police found no evidence of explosives, they reopened the buildings around 2:50 p.m.
The police department was able to identify the suspect although Kim, a sophomore, used web applications to hide his real email address. But he sent the e-mails using the university's wireless Internet.
"KIM stated he chose the word 'shrapnel' because it sounded more dangerous and wrote, '2/4. guess correctly,' so that it would take more time for the Harvard Police Department to clear the area," FBI agents mentioned in charging documents.
Kim has been scheduled to appear in U.S. District Court on Wednesday. If found guilty, he faces up to five years in prison, three years supervised release and a $250 000 fine.
"We are aware that a member of our community has been arrested in relation to this matter and are saddened by the details alleged in the criminal complaint filed by the United States Attorney's office today," the university told the Harvard Crimson, the student newspaper.
