In a story that is getting little notice, the FBI has arrested a man attempting to sabotage rail tracks in the hope of derailing trains.
With the plight of East Palestine, Ohio, residents top of mind, Joseph Findley is facing federal terrorism-related charges for allegedly jamming various metal objects into the tracks and rail switches to cause derailments by freight and Amtrak passenger trains, Fox 8 Cleveland reported.
Findley, a 43-year old man, lives with his parents near the CSX tracks in Cleveland’s St. Clair-Superior neighborhood, according to the affiliate.
Mary Findley, the suspect’s mother, told FOX 8 that she doesn’t believe the charges.
“He’s never been a bad kid, never, he was always good. He’s no terrorist, somebody’s making that up,” the protective mother said.
When presented with photographic evidence, Mrs. Findley’s mother tried to explain away his actions.
“Being depressed, because he lost his job, he lost his girlfriend, but he never did anything like that,” she said. “They’re nuts, he’s not a terrorist. I think they all exaggerated it because he never did anything bad.”
The FBI began an investigation in August when CSX employees reported that their train struck objects that had been wedged into a switch. Some of the train wheels reportedly derailed momentarily before eventually reestablishing their proper place on the tracks.
The bureau had surveillance cameras already in place repositioned and that resulted in images of a bald man in shorts and a black shirt placing items on the tracks a total of five times between August and Oct. 1, Fox 8 reported. An employee at a nearby business identified the man in the photos as Findley.
He is currently being held without bond, pending a hearing later this week in U.S. District Court.
With the current surge of Islamic terrorism in the Middle East and a wide-open southern border that is seeing thousands of single military-age males entering every week, America’s railway system is at risk. While the heyday of trains is far behind us they remain a vital part of America’s infrastructure.