Washington (CNN) Military authorities in Florida arrested a Chinese national for allegedly entering a restricted area at a naval base in Key West to take photos, according to court documents filed in the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida.

Naval officials arrested Liao Lyuyou on December 26 for entering a "restricted area" within Naval Air Station Key West and taking photos of an annex at the base and other "government buildings within the vicinity of sensitive military facilities," the court documents said.

Liao had circumvented a security fence with "numerous warnings posted" on it, the documents said, and continued to walk in the restricted area and take photos after "witnesses verbally warned him." He later told officials that he reads and understands English better than he can speak it.

According to the documents, Liao stated he was trying to take photos of the sunrise after US military police approached him. He gave them permission to look at his camera where they saw images of the Truman Annex at the facility as well as photos of other government buildings in the area.

'Insecurity'