Airport kiss proves costly for Chinese student

• Source: Global Times
• [02:35 March 11 2010]
• Comments

Chinese doctoral student Jiang Haisong, whose breach of security shut down New Jersey's Newark Liberty International Airport in January, apologized for his actions after being sentenced in Newark City Court on Tuesday.

Jiang was sentenced to 100 hours of community service and ordered to pay a fine of $500, as well as $158 in court costs.

Jiang, who ducked the airport's security barriers so he could give his departing girlfriend a farewell kiss, accepted his sentence and pledged to pay the fine.

"I want to deeply apologize to those (affected) by my breach," Jiang said outside the court. "I just wanted to spend more time with my girlfriend. I made a big mistake, and I also learned a big lesson."

Jiang, a 28-year-old doctoral student in a joint molecular biosciences program at Rutgers University, admitted to a judge that he passed under a rope and entered a restricted area at the airport January 3 to spend about 20 extra minutes with his girlfriend, who was leaving for California after visiting him in New Jersey.

Eric Bruce, Jiang's lawyer, told the court and the media waiting outside the courthouse that the sentence was "reasonable" as Jiang had not intended to cause "inconvenience" for other travelers.

The misdemeanor charge would not affect Jiang's immigration status, and he would remain at Rutgers on a student visa, Bruce said.

"The bottom line in this case is that the consequences of Jiang's actions were very serious – we recognize that," Bruce said. "Today's resolution will allow something good to come out of this and allow Jiang to get back to his studies and get on with his life."

Xinhua