Bomb threat angers officials
on campus
By Laura Pelner
Campus
Editor
President Martin Jischke was angry and pleased
at the same time Wednesday afternoon.
After finding out the reported on-campus bomb threat,
which was called in to University police at 9:10 a.m. Wednesday, was
"only a hoax" he was relieved, said Jischke.
The fact that the threat was called in Wednesday,
the day after the worst terrorist attacks in United State's history,
infuriated him.
"I'm very angry that someone would perpetrate such
a hoax at this time of enormous sadness, anxiety and concern," Jischke
said. "We are doing everything we can to identify the individual who
placed this phone call."
Thus far the University has no suspect, but Jischke
urged anyone with information that could identify the perpetrator to
contact Purdue police at 494-8221.
Purdue receives bomb threats every semester, said
Jeanne Norberg, director of the University News Service. She said that
like any other threat, this one was taken seriously, but the timing
just made it worse.
"It's the juxtaposition of this bomb threat with
the terrorist attacks (Tuesday) that really compound the problem," she
said. "This is well beyond a prank; this is a public safety issue."
Norberg said police will investigate the incident
from the standpoint that it's a serious crime. In fact, according to
Indiana statute, if a person reports by telephone, telegraph, mail or
other written or oral communication that an explosive or destructive
device is in a building and that person knowingly lies, he or she faces
a Class D felony and up to three years in prison.
University police were already busy Wednesday,
so this threat took them away from other important tasks, said Norberg.
The police were put on high alert Tuesday following the tragedies in
New York City and Washington, D.C., and this threat pulled them away
from their work.
"When we say we're on high alert, we're asking
everyone to report anything that looks suspicious," Norberg said. "Any
cars that look abandoned, items that don't have an owner."
Norberg said Wednesday afternoon that to her knowledge
the bomb threat was the only call police received regarding anything
suspicious.
In the aftermath of Tuesday's national disasters,
Northwest Airlink, the carrier that flies from the Purdue Airport to
Detroit, canceled its Wednesday flights as per Federal Aviation Administration
orders. Betty Stansbury, director of the airport, said in a release
that the FAA might reopen airspace today.
She said the administration is waiting for airlines
and airports to implement more security measures before it makes a final
decision.
Additionally, the Chemistry 111, "General Chemistry,"
exam that was scheduled for Wednesday evening in the Elliott Hall of
Music was canceled.
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