grad student faces deportation for "terroristic threats"

Another story on Zhai Tiantian, a former PhD student at the Stevens Institute of Technology, who is looking at criminal charges of making "terroristic threats" and faces possible deportation: After Call, Student Faces Deportation to China. All because of a phone call:

School officials contend that Mr. Zhai, 26, angered over his suspension from the university for disciplinary reasons, called the switchboard at the campus's main offices and said, "I'm going to burn that building down."

Mr. Zhai's advocates say that while he used inflammatory language, he was speaking metaphorically, to describe the effect of a lawsuit he planned to file against the university challenging his suspension.

Jerry Sova, a friend who has stayed in touch with Mr. Zhai by phone and letter and visited him in jail, said the former student had admitted using provocative words but insisted he never had any intention of committing arson.

"He told me that he said, 'I'm going to burn down Stevens by suing them and going to ABC and CBS,' " Mr. Sova said. "He is somewhat impulsive."

Mr. Sova added, "I think that was a horrible use of language."

Fanning the flames of the case, the charge against Mr. Zhai has been misinterpreted, particularly in the Chinese news media, as accusing him of acts of terrorism. It's a mess on all sides. More here: Stevens Institute student enters 12th week in Hudson County jail.