Passenger on flight from Japan had murder directions on computer

Locking him up sounds like a PRETTY good thing to do!!! Will we know if he is ever let out and come back to Japan???

I understand this defense attorney is just doing his job, but to assume dressing like a Ninja is commonplace in Asia is scraping the barrel of stupidity. I would also ask the attorney just what hobby involves hatchets, hand cuffs, body bags and manuals on how to hunt humans?

This is one sick dude who needs to be away from the human race. Forever.

Defense attorney Steven Seiden, who asked that his client be released on bail, said the clothing worn by Harris is “commonplace” in Asian counties and described the outfit as ninja-type or resembling martial arts clothing.

That has to be the dumbest thing I've read in a while.

I once saw a foreigner get on a plane at Kansai wearing torepan, waraji, a T-shirt, and a big conical hat like farmers wear, he was to date the weirdest person I ever saw/heard of on a flight. This guy sounds like a Columbine wannabe on 'roids...

This is a typical case of"guilty until proven innocent" type of justice.

If he is really going to kidnap someone he would not need all of that stuff. Duct-tape and long thick plastic straps for hands and feet is all you need really. Maybe a hood too but that is going a little bit extreme. The stuff he carried is to torture and maintain someone restrained.

and to think just last night there were still posters out there who think Harris should have been allowed to fly anywhere, no questions asked. I think they learned a few things this morning

(nah, I actually doubt that last statement)

This is a typical case of"guilty until proven innocent" type of justice.

Oh... Ok... I guess everybody normally travels wearing body armor, carry a full set of kitchen knives and pyrotechnics... Oh, my gosh..Silly me... I must be the only traveling without these kinds of items...

Oh, of course, it's completely acceptable (¬_¬) ....

"Schoolgirls in Cement"

A.K.A. Schoolgirl in Concrete. I just checked it out, good grief, this has to be as sick or even sicker than that other Japanese movie Grotesque... Harris is indeed sick.

Serrano, I agree, that story makes you sick and person carrying that video is 200% sick. Keep him behind the bars, no thank you!!

Reading this I wonder how many sexual assaults in Japan were carried out by him?

and to think just last night there were still posters out there who think Harris should have been allowed to fly anywhere, no questions asked.

Hindsight's always 20-20.

You really want to be stopped just for clothing? You really want everyone's freedom curtailed to a ridiculous degree for the occasional nut job?

It sounds like the guy is "with the fairies" as my physics teacher used to say. If he was really going to kidnap someone, I think it very unlikely that he would carry all that paraphernalia, books and sick videos on his computer.

I'm sure he's just dramatising something.

It sounds like his "elevator doesn't go to the top floor."

I think they were right to detain him though.

Ebisen-san,

I don't think this is a case of "guilty until proven innocent." He hasn't received any punishment, has he?

Very scary and creepy just thinking about it. I wonder if he ever commited those acts. I really hope not.

You really want to be stopped just for clothing? You really want everyone's freedom curtailed to a ridiculous degree for the occasional nut job?

If I didn't read it, I wouldn't have believed it.

"outfits common in Asia" --So true! All of the volleyball players have the knee-pads. Quite a few of the firefighters and other emergency responders have the fire-proof pants. And many of the "full-contact" martial arts who wan t to de-emphasize the "full" part wear big chest pads that resemble a bullet proof vest. Nice defense!!

And the body-bag, now we know he was just so upset about his step-dad, he wanted to bring his body back with him so he could care for it here in jpn.

On the other hand- "schedule showing when kids go to and leave school" is, sorry, proof of nothing. I must have millions of those from years at different schools. Should I call the cops on myself? I saw a preview of the concrete movie, admittedly w/no sound (s/t wrong w/ my player) not my cuppa tea, I don't get those movies. However nothing special, they make hundreds of those every year. Go to Tsutaya. Everyone who watches them is not committing a crime.

This guy may have been an accident waiting to happen. Or he may not. Most likely he was on an edge and could be pushed over either way (crime or no crime) by something. But I just don't know.

I agree w/ the guys above saying "hindsight is everything" and "we have to protect our freedom and not let our selves get shaky-afraid every time a weirdo comes by."

Bring the thumbs ups and downs!

A teacher arrested at Los Angeles International Airport wearing a bulletproof vest and with checked bags containing knives, body bags, a smoke grenade and other weapons also had files on his computer detailing how to kidnap and kill people, federal authorities disclosed Friday.

In addition, Yongda Huang Harris had files revealing he has a “strong interest” in sexual violence against girls, including a video titled “Schoolgirls in Cement,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Mills said.

One publication was entitled “Man Trapping” and showed how to hunt and trap humans, she said.

The prosecutor detailed the discoveries during a court appearance by Harris, 28, a Boston University graduate who had been working in Japan as a junior high school teacher.

A sad reflection on hiring practices here in Japan

I have to weigh in with HImajin on this one. It seems he had an unusually active fantasy life, to put it mildly, but we don't know if it did or would go beyond that. Other than the grenade, there seems to be nothing illegal. Are the objectionable movies illegal in either Japan or the US, you know, countries that lapped up film after film of the Saw franchise. (Incidentally, the Schoolgirls in Cement movie is based on a true incident that happened in Japan.)

" Seiden said the clothing worn by Harris when he was arrested is common in Asian countries and described the outfit as resembling martial arts attire. "

What? I don´t get it. Was he arriving in the US wearing a dogi? No, that is "common attire" in Asia, not anywhere I have been.

I hope someone within the Japanese educational system is taking note, so they don't re-hire him as a teacher, should he return to Japan.

Other than the grenade, there seems to be nothing illegal

Couldn't agree more, Nessie. Whats the world coming to when you can't board an international flight with a grenade and wearing body armour?

It is not a grenade, it is a smoke grenade and it seems clear that he didn't intend to hijack the plane with it. Also, it is only banned because it is a fire hazard as are certain aerosal cans, fireworks etc. It is not a weapon for harming ppl.

He may or may not be really unbalanced and dangerous. I never met him and I don't know yet. He is certainly not smart, or at least thorough, for not realizing his smoke bomb might be prohibited on a plane.

Honestly,

The first thing I thought when I read the first article a few days ago, was, he was some paranoid who was afraid of terrorism everywhere and had the bullet proof vest and fire pants on in case of terrorist attack.

It may all be true that he's just very paranoid and carries that all for self defense, and has a weird fetish. But none of that would explain why he has files detailing how to hunt down humans. I say that guys a danger.

Hope they get this loon out of society.

If you catch someone before they act, what can you charge them with?

If I didn't read it, I wouldn't have believed it.

You, and a great number of posters, have expressed shock that someone got on a plane dressed as he did, Now that all that crap he was carrying and the contents of his laptop have been revealed , you're crowing. 'See!? See!? I knew I was right!' (not quoting, but paraphrasing the tone....).

1 in a million. For that knee-jerk type of over-reaction to 1 in a million type of cases, we now have to take off our shoes (because of ONE person with explosives in the heels of his shoes how many years ago?) , go through body scanners (because of ONE jerk with a bomb on in a diaper), and everyone from 2 year olds with teddy bears to 90 year old women in wheelchairs are now suspect and often stripped to their underwear in absolute confounding of any shred of common sense. And now you're saying that people in certain attire should not be allowed to fly. Maybe they should just ban all English teachers? It would make as much sense.

Nessie, that case in the late 80's in Tokyo?

@nandakandamanda

Conspiring to kidnap.

This guy is clearly a sick puppy. The tragedy is that even in the best case, he only be legally put away for a short time, so eventually he will be out, and victims will get hurt.

But to incarcerate him pro-actively is just not something our legal systems are prepared to do; that would be out of the Hollywood film "Minority Report".

"Harris was arrested on Oct 5 wearing the bulletproof vest under a trench coat along with fire-resistant pants and kneepads. Seiden said the clothing worn by Harris when he was arrested is common in Asian countries"

Yeah, my train was full of people just like that this morning.

Himajin,

A great number of posters, have expressed shock that someone got on a plane dressed as he did, Now that all that crap he was carrying and the contents of his laptop have been revealed , you're crowing. 'See!? See!? I knew I was right!' (not quoting, but paraphrasing the tone....).

Exactly!

A = A = A

Tried and found guilty on Japan Today.

" If you catch someone before they act, what can you charge them with?"

Ah, thought crime! Hang 'im high! Lynch!

Yes, guilty until proven innocent, on JT.

You need a body bag for self defense? I think not. What I do think is that a gruesome murder of some poor school girl was just prevented. Thank God.

This Chinese scum bag from Boston just sound like a real, real crazy, dangerous nut jub! Kind of like that one Korean fool who did like like white folk and decided to shoot as many Americans as possible at Virginia Tech University?? Maybe the LAX officials just stopped one of these horrible massacres caused by these nerds that want to go down in a hail of bullets??

I vote we have Himajin, Nessie, nanda and Herve take turns having this sicko spend a weekend with them.

Sounds like they caught him in the nick of time. Excuse me while I change out of my Ninja clothes...

To the people who don't think this nutcase is a danger to society, would you agree to have him at your place for, say, a weekend? I didn't think so.

darknuts-

It has been established that the bodybag was to bring his dear departed step-dad's body back to Osaka so he could care for it.

Serrano-

I don't know who you are talking to-- I have read few? no? ppl saying he is not a danger to society. I personally said "I don't know." I get the same feeling from ppl saying "guilty until proven innocent on JT". If I was a cop, I would most certainly try and trace any facts on him I could and determine if he is a danger. And I hope the US police are doing so. Having no information, myself, I can't say one way or the other. I have done martial arts for a long time, and would be interested in reading a "man-hunting" pamphlet, not because I want to hunt, but because I would be curious to see if there's anything in it I didn't already learn from my training. The school- exits maps and kids school schedules (complete with the times they must be at and can leave!) proves nothing but that he worked at a school. The sticks, I have sticks, too. The restraints, some of the most ssensitive kind ppl I know are reallyinto S & M.

Ya, or maybe he is a total psycho and we got lucky.

My house for the wk end? Not him not no one no time. Wk end is for relax time.

Lowly, exactly! Nevermind the paranoid few.

Some weirdo's just like all the stare's and attention. He did have most tool's necessary to commit mayhem. However, he has not commited a crime for being weird. Kidnap kit? All you really need is a taser and a van. But that's another ABC after school special. The smoke gernade sound's like enough to keep him in jail for awhile. weirdo creep!

darknuts:

" You need a body bag for self defense? I think not. What I do think is that a gruesome murder of some poor school girl was just prevented. Thank God. "

Are you sure it was prevented? They can not hold him for a long time. "Postponed" might be a better word.

This is a typical case of"guilty until proven innocent" type of justice.

Dude is not on trial for stuff he may have been intending to do.

Harris is charged with one count of transporting hazardous materials, for the grenade, and could face up to five years in prison if convicted.

Dude was caught red-handed carrying a grenade onto a plane. We don't allow people to do that, for obvious reasons. It's against the law, and that's what he was charged with.

Triumvere,

" Harris is charged with one count of transporting hazardous materials"

The device was in his checked bag and at no time was anyone in danger.

Passengers are no longer allowed to carry a cigarette lighter, either. Are they dangerous? I recall the days when passengers freely smoked on planes and carried lighters. Was there even one incident of an exploding lighter? A compressed gas cylinder might be a different case, but the smoke device presented no danger.

This story is way over-hyped.

Whatever the outcome of this guy he should never be let back into Japan!

Lowly, exactly! Nevermind the paranoid few.

Herve - more sour grapes after your boy harris has proven himself to be the nutjob he appeared to be. Its unfortunate that you'd rather see him walk away, free to commit a crime either in the States or as a teacher in Japan, just to satisfy your curious grudge against authority.

Misdemeanor charges at best, he is the least to be worried about other than being a total weirdo. It's the calculating smart types that scare me more.

hosefella, seems it's you who has some axe to grind. I resent your calling harris "my boy" in your usual uppity, snyde tone. The accused person, innocent until proven guilty, though reprehensible in your esteem has done nothing except transport something that in fact posed no danger whatsoever. Is he strange? Probably, but that doesn't matter. Some are obessessed about preventing Thought-crime. How many people regularly read all kinds of demented manga? Should they all also be arrested? There's a lot of sick stuff in manga, and in Hollywood movies for that matter. My grudge is against the demonising of the accused when none of us have seen evidence.

Herve: "Yes, guilty until proven innocent, on JT."

He broke the law with what he was carrying -- the grenade. Doesn't matter that it was checked since it's still breaking the law, does it?

"The accused person, innocent until proven guilty, though reprehensible in your esteem has done nothing except transport something that in fact posed no danger whatsoever."

He's being charged with carrying hazardous material, which is a crime, not being charged with the fact the grenade never went off. He had it with him, so it's pretty clear he's guilty.

" My grudge is against the demonising of the accused when none of us have seen evidence."

So tell us how he's innocent given the materials in his luggage, which he claims he needed because he was once robbed in Boston?

Herve: I do agree that Hoserfella doesn't know how to use the term 'sour grapes', though.

OMG, I was going to be an armored ninja for Halloween.

In addition, Yongda Huang Harris had files revealing he has a "strong interest" in sexual violence against girls, including a video titled "Schoolgirls in Cement,"

It takes some kind of sicko to MAKE a video with a title like that.

Seiden also said Harris didn’t have any previous psychological issues.

HIS attorney said that? "strong interest" in sexual violence against girls is not a psycological issue? Kinda throwing out the insanity plea before the trial even starts.

Couldn't agree more, Nessie. Whats the world coming to when you can't board an international flight with a grenade and wearing body armour?

@hoserfella

Read my post again, but carefully this time. I said he should be arrested for the smoke bomb.

Hosefella, smith, we'll have to agree to disagree.

Nessie - read your post again but still came across this little nugget;

Other than the grenade, there seems to be nothing illegal. Are the objectionable movies illegal in either Japan or the US, you know, countries that lapped up film after film of the Saw franchise

"Other than the grenade, everything is hunky-dorey" - that doesnt make any sense whatsoever.

(then you go on to equate a fairly tame US slasher film with a Japanese film which glorifies rape, torture against schoolgirls, etc but thats a different argument)

smith - my use of "sour grapes" is correct. I don't know what you're on about

Seiden also said Harris didn’t have any previous psychological issues.

saw that, too, techall. In other words, Harris has probably never been analyzed at all.

'sour grapes' is expressing disdain for something you previously expressed a desire for, once you find it's unattainable..

If you describe someone's behaviour or opinion as sour grapes, you mean that they are angry because they have not got or achieved something that they wanted

from Cambridge dictionary

Readers, please focus your comments on what is in the story and not at each other.

Herve: "smith and hosefella are sweet...on each other?"

Herve shows his true colours. No opinion, no facts, just attempted insults when he is proven wrong.

in any case, good on US customs for doing their appointed job and getting this ticking timebomb out of circulation. Hopefully security at KIX and Inchon (not to mention a few other characters) have been given a good talkling to and a lesson on what "red flag" means. I can only hope that Harris's "teaching" career, too, is at an end. Although this being Japan...

Hoserfella: "in any case, good on US customs for doing their appointed job and getting this ticking timebomb out of circulation."

It's pretty amazing they let this guy on the plane with a bullet proof vest on and etc., eh? Definitely a contrast between US security and that of KIX, who stand by the idea they did nothing wrong.

It's pretty amazing they let this guy on the plane with a bullet proof vest on and etc., eh? Definitely a contrast between US security and that of KIX, who stand by the idea they did nothing wrong

.Depends on the vest, a Kevlar or ceramic plates vest will not set off metal detectors and looks like just bulky clothing.......it is fall you know..........but showing up in L.A. with a bulky vest on is gonna raise some eyebrows.

I'm glad Japanese security let him leave, so that the US could deal with him.

//One publication was entitled “Man Trapping” and showed how to hunt and trap humans, she said

Gosh, and I was going to take The Day of the Jackal to read next time I'm on a plane. That only tells you how to get a fake passport, do disguises, make a concealed weapon...

//had files on his computer detailing how to kidnap and kill people

Better make sure you don't have just about any Thomas Harris books on you...

So do the people who thought he was just a harmless nutter feel a wee bit red-faced now?

This made me laugh:

Seiden said the weapons Harris was carrying were meant for protection and necessary because Harris was once attacked on the streets of Boston.

Seiden described Harris as scared and timid. Harris carried some of the items to defend himself, Seiden said.

Of course he did, we believe you, lol

Better make sure you don't have just about any Thomas Harris books on you...

morrison_rm - did you have a point to make concerning the story or are you just eager to have everyone know you read Thomas Harris books?

According to other sources, the pre-trial hearing is scheduled for Oct 23rd. He was denied bail as a "flight risk", no pun intended, since he has no connections to the LA area. An affadavit is available detailing some particulars.

Stay on topic please.

Hoserfella: "Hopefully security at KIX and Inchon (not to mention a few other characters) have been given a good talkling to and a lesson on what "red flag" means."

Dude, things at Inchon, unlike KIX, are quite strict. They constantly have soldiers walking around in pairs, armed with machine guns, and that's just the welcome lobby. This guy would have been taken down at Inchon if that's where he checked in originally.

****I know you cannot always put people in prison for something they MAY do! But it seems ludicrous that we have to wait until some "sicko" to act out their twisted thoughts and harm others before we can put them away. BUT, there are signs along the way...and this guy is showing the signs of a potential killer.

//morrison_rm - did you have a point to make concerning the story or are you just eager to have everyone know you read Thomas Harris books?

Yes, to the first part. Although Plutarch is also depressingly bloodthirsty, I mean, just look at Procrustes. But I digress. I seriously doubt if any information contained in a manual on how to hunt people has not already turned up in some fictional story somewhere. That was my point.

The most charitable thing I can say about this lunatic is that he seriously needs help.

It is not a grenade, it is a smoke grenade and it seems clear that he didn't intend to hijack the plane with it. Also, it is only banned because it is a fire hazard as are certain aerosal cans, fireworks etc. It is not a weapon for harming ppl.

There is a reason pyro devices are banned from commercial flights. To take one onboard without declaring it violates INTERNATIONAL law. Make all the excuses you want, but he broke the law and is guilty of illegal transport of a prohibited device on a commercial flight.

Good stuff, Fadamor.

There's enough to nab him without speculating on his taste in cinema.

LowlyOct. 13, 2012 - 02:10PM JST It is not a grenade, it is a smoke grenade and it seems clear that he didn't intend to hijack the plane with it. Also, it is >only banned because it is a fire hazard as are certain aerosal cans, fireworks etc. It is not a weapon for harming ppl.

I think a fire hazard on an plane in flight has the potential to harm people. Or is it just me?