BOSTON — Two men accused of placing electronic devices around the city in a publicity stunt that stirred fears of terrorism and shut down parts of the city were released from jail yesterday, apparently amused by the scene.Peter Berdovsky, 27, and Sean Stevens, 28, were released on $2,500 cash bond after pleading not guilty to placing a hoax device and disorderly conduct. They waved and smiled as they greeted people in court.

Outside, they launched into a nonsensical discussion with reporters. “What we really want to talk about today — it’s kind of important to some people — it’s haircuts of the 1970s,” Berdovsky said.

Officials found 38 blinking electronic signs promoting the Cartoon Network TV show “Aqua Teen Hunger Force” on bridges and other high-profile spots across the city Wednesday, prompting the closing of a highway and the deployment of bomb squads. The surreal series is about a talking milkshake, a box of fries and a meatball. The network is a division of Turner Broadcasting Systems Inc.

“It’s clear the intent was to get attention by causing fear and unrest that there was a bomb in that location,” Assistant Attorney General John Grossman said at their arraignment.

The one-foot tall signs, which were lit up at night, resembled a circuit board, with protruding wires and batteries. Most depicted a boxy, cartoon character giving passers-by an insulting gesture.

The men did not speak in court, but they smiled as the prosecutor talked about one device found underneath a highway.

“The appearance of this device and its location are crucial,” Grossman said. “This device looks like a bomb.”

Some in the gallery snickered.

Outside the courthouse, Michael Rich, a lawyer for the men, said the description of a bomb-like device could be used for any electronic device.

“If somebody had left a VCR on the ground it would have been a device with wires, electronic components and a power source,” he said.

Boston officials were furious when the devices were discovered.

“It is outrageous, in a post 9/11 world, that a company would use this type of marketing scheme,” Mayor Thomas Menino said Wednesday. “I am prepared to take any and all legal action against Turner Broadcasting and its affiliates for any and all expenses incurred during the response to today’s incidents.”

Berdovsky, an artist, told The Boston Globe newspaper he was hired by a marketing company and said he was “kind of freaked out” by the furore.

“I find it kind of ridiculous that they’re making these statements on TV that we must not be safe from terrorism, because they were up there for three weeks and no one noticed. It’s pretty commonsensical to look at them and say this is a piece of art and installation,” he said.

While Boston officials were livid, fans of the show mocked authorities for what they called an overreaction.

About a dozen fans gathered outside Charlestown District Court yesterday morning with signs saying “1-31-07 Never Forget” and “Free Peter.”

“It’s almost too easy to be a terrorist these days,” said Jennifer Mason, 26. “You stick a box on a corner and you can shut down a city.”

Authorities vowed to hold Turner accountable for what Menino said was “corporate greed,” that led to at least $750,000 in police costs.

As soon as Turner realised the Boston problem, it said, law enforcement officials were told of their locations in 10 cities where the devices had been placed for two to three weeks: Boston, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, Seattle, Portland, Ore., Austin, Texas, San Francisco and Philadelphia.

“We apologise to the citizens of Boston that part of a marketing campaign was mistaken for a public danger,” said Phil Kent, chairman of Turner, a division of Time Warner Inc.

Kent said the marketing company that placed the signs, Interference Inc., was ordered to remove them immediately.

Interference had no 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 could not comment.

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

Authorities are investigating whether Turner or other companies should be criminally charged, 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,” Coakley said.

The New York Police Department removed 41 of the devices — 38 in Manhattan and three in Brooklyn, according to spokesman Paul Browne. The NYPD had not received any complaints. But when it became aware of the situation, it contacted Cartoon Network, which provided the locations so the devices could be removed.

“Aqua Teen Hunger Force” is a cartoon with a cultish following that airs as part of a block of programs for adults on the Cartoon Network. A feature-length film based on the show is scheduled for release March 23.