Major Development in Reservoir Trespassing Case Near Boston: Mass. Police Are Appealing the Decision Not to Charge the Men

Last month, seven people found trespassing near "critical infrastructure" -- a water reservoir just outside of Boston that serves the city's metro area and much of the eastern part of the state -- were cleared of terrorist suspicions. This week, the clerk magistrate decided not to press charges against the individuals, but the Massachusetts State Police are appealing this decision.

In mid-May, five men and two women said to be "chemical engineers" and "recent graduates" were found trespassing on the Quabbin Reservoir property after dark, sparking a statewide terror alert, especially after the attacks on the Boston Marathon that had happened the month prior.

(Image: Solarapex/Wikimedia)

The group, which included adults from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Singapore, were detained by authorities, interviewed and later released. After an investigation, it was decided they were not engaging or planning to engage in criminal or terrorist activity.

Although trespassing in and of itself was against the law, the clerk magistrate decided this week not to issue criminal complaints against those in the group, which had been summoned to Belchertown district court, according to The Republican. But the state police are appealing the decision because the trespassing took place at a "critical infrastructure key resource site," Massachusetts State Police Spokesman David Procopio told The Republican.

"In our view, the clerk's decision was contrary to our past understanding with the court, specifically, that the continuance without criminal complaints (which is how minor motor vehicle matters are generally handled) is not the resolution in cases involving violations of the Quabbin watershed rules. This has been the practice in recent years," Procopio said.

To be clear, the appeal doesn't seem to be pushing for terror charges, but rather trespassing ones. As of right now, the appeal is waiting judicial review, Procopio told The Republican. TheBlaze contacted the state police department for a comment but did not hear back in time for this posting.

With no criminal charges yet, the names of the trespassers remain undisclosed.

This case couples with an incident in early June where three of the four locks to an aqueduct outside of Boston were found cut.

(H/T: Fark)

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