Statue of Liberty Hoax: Jason Paul Smith, Who Allegedly Made Bomb Threat, Has Been Arrested

A 42-year-old West Virginian was arrested Wednesday on charges that he carried out a Statue of Liberty bombing hoax that forced the evacuation of more than 3,200 people in April 2015.

The authorities said Jason Paul Smith, 42, told emergency services that he was a “terrorist” and planned to blow up the New York City monument, the BBC reports.

Smith allegedly made a 911 call on April 24 from his iPad using a service that helps hearing-impaired people make and receive telephone calls, according to federal prosecutors.

In the call, Smith identified himself as Abdul Yasin, described himself as an ISI terrorist and threatened to blow up the Statue of Liberty, Preet Bharara, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, said in a statement.

Smith is being charged in federal court with a count of conveying false and misleading information and hoaxes, according to the United States attorney for the Southern District of New York.

Smith could face up to five years in prison.