Air traffic control site fire suspect in court(Illinois)

[Opti]

Surprised no one posted this. My Dad brought it to my

attention.

www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-09-29/air-traffic-control-site-fire-suspect-to-remain-locked-up.html

Harris fired Howard after the incident, Jim Burke, a spokesman for the Melbourne, Florida-based defense contractor, said today in an e-mail. A resident of Naperville, Illinois, Howard worked at the company for eight years and was about to be transferred to Hawaii, according to the court filing.

The FAA said in a statement yesterday that it’s shifted air traffic control responsibilities to other regional facilities as repairs are made to the Aurora center, while gradually increasing the number of flights in and out of Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport and Midway Airport.

IMO, the guy snapped. I think the highlighted reason might be why.

More from the URL:

The Federal Aviation Administration contractor charged with starting an air traffic control center fire that disrupted thousands of U.S. flights will remain in custody, a judge ordered without objection.

Brian Howard, 36, a telecommunications field technician for Harris Corp. (HRS), was charged on Sept. 26 with setting fire that day to the air navigation facility in Aurora, Illinois, where he worked. The crime is punishable by as long as 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

He made his initial criminal case appearance today in Chicago and was ordered detained by U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael Mason.

Released from an area hospital earlier in the day, Howard was wearing an aqua-colored hospital-style shirt and matching pants. He had a bandage across his throat where, according to a court-filed affidavit, he’d tried to cut himself with a knife after starting the blaze.

Asked by the judge whether he understood the charge and the penalty, Howard nodded his head and quietly said, “yes.”

[Opti]

Would love to hear what other people know about this.

My Dad said there is no back up plan for this kind of destruction

so it will be at least weeks before things might be semi-normal

air traffic control-wise in the O'Hare and Midway airport area.

[djAdvocate]

if this is not tied to Obama or Benghazi in some way, you will have a hard time getting traction here.

[Tennesseer]

I bet the guy was a Muslim because Muslims hate Hawaii.  Jihad and all that,  

ABC Evening News stated the authorities thought the whole system would be back up by October 13.  No written source for the date.

[AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP]

It is pretty amazing that we're this exposed. Seems like we need to harden these kinds of assets against lone-wolf attacks like this.

[EVT1]

Reagan should have fired him a long time ago when he was bringing the word of the Lord to the workers - probably missed him .

[Value Buy]

Sept 29, 2014 23:47:15 GMT -5 EVT1 said:

Reagan should have fired him a long time ago when he was bringing the word of the Lord to the workers - probably missed him .

This did not happen on Reagan's watch.

Guess whose watch it happened on

like dj said, if it is not Obama or Benghazi, it a newsworthy here

[marvholly]

I find it absolutly CRIMINAL that there is no Plan B, esp in Chicao since it is such a large hub affecting flights just about all over ther country. it did not have to be criminal activites by a lone nutso. A flood, power outage, tornado hit..........would have had the same effect.

Hope the hearings & investigation(s) result in such a program of backup- plans being instituted.