TV stunt shuts down Boston

2007-02-01 09:11

Boston - Several illuminated electronic devices planted at bridges and other spots sparked a bomb scare in Boston in what turned out to be a publicity campaign for a late-night cable television cartoon.

Most if not all of the devices depict a character making an obscene gesture.

Peter Berdovsky, 29, of Arlington, was arrested on one felony charge of placing a hoax device and one charge of disorderly conduct, Massachusetts attorney general Martha Coakley said. He was hired to place the devices, she said.

Highways, bridges and a section of the Charles River were shut down and bomb squads were sent in before authorities declared the devices were harmless.

Turner Broadcasting, a division of Time Warner Inc. and parent of Cartoon Network, later said the devices were part of a promotion for the TV show Aqua Teen Hunger Force, a surreal series about a talking milkshake, a box of fries and a meatball.

Authorities are investigating whether Turner and any other companies should be criminally charged, Coakley said. It was not immediately clear on Wednesday who might have hired Berdovsky.

"We're not going to let this go without looking at the further roots of how this happened to cause the panic in this city," Coakley said at a news conference on Wednesday night.

Those conducting the campaign should have known the devices could cause panic because they were placed in sensitive areas, she said.

Turner did not notify officials of the publicity campaign until around 17:00, nearly four hours after the first calls came in about the devices, she and others said.

At least 14 of the devices were found, Coakley said.

- AP