Cartoon promo causes terror scare in Boston

[estranged4life]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16902707/

Marketing ploy for 'Aqua Teen Hunger Force' leads to disruption, arrest

BOSTON - More than 10 blinking electronic devices planted at bridges and other spots in Boston threw a scare into the city Wednesday in what turned out to be a publicity campaign for a late-night cable cartoon. Most if not all of the devices depict a character giving the finger.

Peter Berdovsky, 29, of Arlington, was arrested on one felony charge of placing a hoax device, and one charge of disorderly conduct, state Attorney General Martha Coakley said.

"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," she said at a news conference Wednesday night.

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.

"It's a hoax - and it's not funny," said Gov. Deval Patrick, who said he'll speak to the state's attorney general "about what recourse we may have."

Turner Broadcasting, a division of Time Warner Inc. and parent of Cartoon Network, 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.

"The packages in question are magnetic lights that pose no danger," Turner said in a statement, issued a few hours after reports of the first devices came in.

Devices placed in 10 cities
It said the devices have been in place for two to three weeks in 10 cities: Boston; New York; Los Angeles; Chicago; Atlanta; Seattle; Portland, Ore.; Austin, Texas; San Francisco; and Philadelphia.

"We regret that they were mistakenly thought to pose any danger," the company said. As soon as the company realized the problem, it said, law enforcement officials were told of their locations in all 10 cities.

The marketing firm that put them up has been ordered to remove them immediately, said Phil Kent, Turner chairman.

"We apologize to the citizens of Boston that part of a marketing campaign was mistaken for a public danger," Kent said. "We appreciate the gravity of this situation and, like any responsible company would, are putting all necessary resources toward understanding the facts surrounding it as quickly as possible.."

Interference Inc. had no immediate comment. A woman who answered the phone at the New York-based firm's offices Wednesday afternoon said the firm's CEO was out of town and would not be able to comment until Thursday.

There were no reports from police Wednesday of residents in the other nine cities spotting similar devices.

Austin police spokeswoman Toni Chovanetz said the marketing company told the department about the devices Wednesday afternoon and was working with the city to remove them. She did not know where the devices were placed and said no one had contacted police about seeing one.

Boston Mayor Thomas Menino said he'll seek to punish those responsible, and indicated that the penalty could be two to five years in prison per count.

After Turner made its announcement, Menino said he was "prepared to take any and all legal action" against the company and its affiliates "for any and all expenses incurred during the response to today's incidents."

"That would include any criminal or civil action," Menino spokeswoman Meaghan Maher later clarified. Boston Police would not comment on any potential charges.

Homeland Security Department spokesman Russ Knocke praised Boston authorities for sharing their knowledge quickly with Washington officials and the public.

"Hoaxes are a tremendous burden on local law enforcement and counter-terrorism resources and there's absolutely no place for them in a post-9/11 world," Knocke said.

Authorities said some of the objects looked like circuit boards or had wires hanging from them.

Subway station, highway shut down
The first device was found at a subway and bus station underneath Interstate 93, forcing the shutdown of the station and the highway.

Later, police said four calls, all around 1 p.m., reported devices at the Boston University Bridge and the Longfellow Bridge, both of which span the Charles River, at a Boston street corner and at the Tufts-New England Medical Center.

The package near the Boston University bridge was found attached to a structure beneath the span, authorities said.

Subway service across the Longfellow Bridge between Boston and Cambridge was briefly suspended, and Storrow Drive was closed as well. A similar device was found Wednesday evening just north of Fenway Park, police spokesman Eddy Chrispin said.

Wanda Higgins, a 47-year-old Weymouth resident and a nurse at Massachusetts General Hospital, heard about the threat as she watched television news coverage while preparing to leave work at 4 p.m.

"I saw the bomb squad guys carrying a paper bag with their bare hands," Higgins said. "I knew it couldn't be too serious."

Messages seeking additional comment from the Atlanta-based Cartoon Network were left with several publicists.

"Aqua Teen Hunger Force" is a cartoon with a cultish following that airs as part of the Adult Swim late-night block of programs for adults on the Cartoon Network. A feature length film based on the show is slated for release March 23.

The cartoon also includes two trouble-making, 1980s-graphic-like characters called "mooninites," named Ignignokt and Err - who were pictured on the suspicious devices. They are known for making the obscene hand gesture depicted on the devices.

© 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Only in America could a cartoon cause a terror alert - What makes even funnier is that the cartoon was "Aqua Teen Hunger Force", One of my favorites!

I guess dumb Americans didnt understand the "mooninites," Ignignokt and Err, and Ignignokt usual finger display of the U.S. being #1

Yes, America - Terror alert caused by a cartoon...While the US leader is a cartoon himself

[SuzeQuze]

this.is.embarrassing. And funny as hell. Crazy ass Boston.

[Nixxxed]

I'm watching the cartoon right now.

I'm sorry people freaked out, but the whole thing was ridiculous. The light-up signs have been in place for weeks. There has even been a contest on the Adult Swim message boards to see if people (in the cities they were placed) could find them all and provide photo proof. Some drunk frat guys even stole some of them and posted pics of themselves next to the signs.

The thing that really gets me is they keep being described as "hoaxes." Ummm, no. They're ads. They were never intended to be anything else. Ads that light up at night.

[Johnny Stew]

Originally Posted by Nixxxed

The thing that really gets me is they keep being described as "hoaxes." Ummm, no. They're ads. They were never intended to be anything else. Ads that light up at night.

Pretty soon we're going to have to dismantle all of the traffic lights everywhere, so people don't get panicked.

[SuzeQuze]

Originally Posted by Nixxxed

I'm watching the cartoon right now.

I'm sorry people freaked out, but the whole thing was ridiculous. The light-up signs have been in place for weeks. There has even been a contest on the Adult Swim message boards to see if people (in the cities they were placed) could find them all and provide photo proof. Some drunk frat guys even stole some of them and posted pics of themselves next to the signs.

The thing that really gets me is they keep being described as "hoaxes." Ummm, no. They're ads. They were never intended to be anything else. Ads that light up at night.

The local news here was calling them "packages". Dude, at least one of them was blown up by officials. I couldn't believe the newscasters reporting on it with a straight face not giving in to how INSANE it was.

[strandinthewind]

So much for the police being up on what the fukc is going on in the city. Maybe a 13 year old should keep them current

[Sarah]

bwahahaha. aqua teens is my favorite show.

[JazmenFlowers]

Originally Posted by Sarah

bwahahaha. aqua teens is my favorite show.

OMG. mine too! love it. in fact, I can do Meatwad's voice perfectly.

anyway, I saw this report and laughed. but, at the same time, really scary to think of what could happen when things get really out of control and people are afraid.

people + panic = bad bad things

[estranged4life]

Originally Posted by JazmenFlowers

OMG. mine too! love it. in fact, I can do Meatwad's voice perfectly.

anyway, I saw this report and laughed. but, at the same time, really scary to think of what could happen when things get really out of control and people are afraid.

people + panic = bad bad things

I could do Master Shake's up until recently. Cant wait for the Aqua Teen movie on March 23rd.

All I can say about this whole dumb situation (Well, besides that Boston pulled a "Romo") is what Ignignokt once told Fry-lock:

"Fryman, fill your eyes with...'Double vision' "

Brian "Boston, even dumber than Flor-i-duh!!! Man, Now I have my proof that 'liberal Boston' is dumb as **** " j.

[DavidMn]

Originally Posted by SuzeQuze

"packages".

Nothin wrong with a good package the way I see it!

[SuzeQuze]

Originally Posted by estranged4life

I could do Master Shake's up until recently. Cant wait for the Aqua Teen movie on March 23rd.

All I can say about this whole dumb situation (Well, besides that Boston pulled a "Romo") is what Ignignokt once told Fry-lock:

"Fryman, fill your eyes with...'Double vision' "

Brian "Boston, even dumber than Flor-i-duh!!! Man, Now I have my proof that 'liberal Boston' is dumb as **** " j.

And Menino is on the tube dishing tough talk about the poor losers who were hired to place the ads. It's so silly. I guess though, according to the bomb squad, they looked like bombs. But dude, they were Lite Brites!

And no, BOSTON is NOT dumb, although there are plenty of dumb people here as evidenced by this frigging ridiculousness.

[Nixxxed]

Originally Posted by JazmenFlowers

OMG. mine too! love it. in fact, I can do Meatwad's voice perfectly.

Oh yeah? Well can you do this?

[Nixxxed]

Originally Posted by SuzeQuze

And Menino is on the tube dishing tough talk about the poor losers who were hired to place the ads.

He's going to wind up with a curse. A CUUUUURRRRRRRRRRRSSSEE!!!!

[gldstwmn]

They couldn't have rented a billboard???

[gldstwmn]

Originally Posted by Nixxxed

I'm watching the cartoon right now.

I'm sorry people freaked out, but the whole thing was ridiculous. The light-up signs have been in place for weeks. There has even been a contest on the Adult Swim message boards to see if people (in the cities they were placed) could find them all and provide photo proof. Some drunk frat guys even stole some of them and posted pics of themselves next to the signs.

The thing that really gets me is they keep being described as "hoaxes." Ummm, no. They're ads. They were never intended to be anything else. Ads that light up at night.

Come to think of it, there was one of those billboards here, by a major highway no less. I was staring at that freaky looking thing thinking "What the hell is that?"