Man accused of University bomb threats released from prison

The man accused of bombarding Pitt with a series of bomb threats two years ago has been released from prison.

According to a Tuesday statement from David Hickton, U.S. attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania, Adam Busby, of Dublin, Ireland, “was released from detention in Ireland while he awaits a hearing before Ireland’s Supreme Court on his appeal of his extradition to Scotland to face terror charges in that country.” Busby had been incarcerated in Ireland on a European Union warrant since July 2012 while facing charges and extradition requests, according to Hickton, and was indicted on Aug. 15, 2012, for sending more than 50 bomb threats to the University. 

Between Feb. 13, 2012, and April 21 of the same year, Pitt received 52 individual bomb threats, resulting in 136 evacuations of University buildings. 

Chancellor Mark A. Nordenberg said the University does not expect a reoccurrence of the bomb threat situation. His statement is published in full in today’s Opinions section.

Hickton said the Department of Justice is monitoring the situation, and that they “have taken all available legal action to extradite [Busby] to face charges in Western Pennsylvania after he faces pending charges in the U.K.”

As previously reported in The Pitt News, Hickton said during a 2012 press conference that Busby was responsible for emailed threats that were aimed at Pitt’s campus between March 30 and April 21. Most of the threats were sent to media outlets in the area, including the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. 

Hickton said Busby was indicted on charges of 17 counts of wire fraud, 16 counts of maliciously conveying false information and two counts of international extortion. A second indictment charged Busby with maliciously conveying false information through the Internet on June 20 and June 21 by claiming that bombs were placed at federal courthouses in Erie, Pa., Johnstown, Pa. and Pittsburgh.

Hickton said at the 2012 press conference that there are no known connections between Busby and the University that he was aware of at the time.

Hickton previously said that the maximum sentence for each is 20 years in prison, while the maximum penalty for maliciously conveying false information is 10 years in prison, in addition to the two years maximum penalty for extortionate threats.

Hickton said each felonious count attributed to Busby carries a maximum $250,000 fine.