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one Jordanian nationals Arrested for threatening to bomb and attack a Florida energy facility, allegedly motivated by the U.S. government’s support for the State of Israel.
Hashem Younis Hashem Hnaihen, 43, of Orlando, was indicted Thursday on four counts of threatening to use an explosive and one count of sabotage of an energy facility.
Prosecutors said that starting around June, Hnaihen began targeting Orlando-area businesses “because of their perceived support for the State of Israel.”
Wearing a mask and under the cover of darkness, Hnaihen allegedly smashed the glass door of the business and left a “warning letter,” according to court documents.
The letters, addressed to the U.S. government, made a series of political demands culminating in threats to “destroy or blow up everything throughout the United States, especially companies and factories that support the racist Israeli state,” the indictment said.
Hnaihen’s attacks escalated, prosecutors said. As law enforcement worked to identify the masked attacker, Hnaihen allegedly broke into a solar farm in Wedgefield, Florida, in late June and spent hours systematically vandalizing the solar panel array.
He is accused of smashing panels, cutting wires and damaging critical electronic equipment. Court documents say Hnaihen left two threatening letters demanding compensation. Prosecutors believe Hnaihen caused more than $700,000 in damages.
The indictment includes a photo of a solar panel with cracked glass, and an aerial photo of the solar panel field Hnaihen allegedly attacked, with the targeted panel area highlighted in red. (Ministry of Justice)
After a “multi-agency collaboration,” law enforcement identified Hnaihen and arrested him on July 11, shortly after a “warning letter” threatening to “destroy or explode everything” was found at an industrial propane gas distribution station in Orlando.
“We allege that the defendant threatened to commit hate-driven, mass violence in our country, motivated in part by a desire to Target Enterprises US Attorney General: Because they are considered to support Israel Merrick Garland “These types of actions and threats of violence, whether targeting places Americans travel to and from every day or our nation’s critical infrastructure, are extremely dangerous and will not be tolerated by the Department of Justice,” the Justice Department said in a statement.
If convicted, Hnaihen faces up to 10 years in federal prison on each count of making threats and up to 20 years in prison on the energy facility sabotage count, announced Roger Handberg, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida.
The indictment includes photos of the damage Hnaihen allegedly caused to two businesses. (Ministry of Justice)
Hnaihen was ordered detained pending trial at a detention hearing on Thursday. The indictment also notified Hnaihen that the United States intends to seize assets related to the crime.
“Targeting and attacking businesses because of their beliefs is unacceptable,” Handberg said. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute those who make threats of violence or hate and seek to act on those threats.”
“Under the guise of expressing their beliefs, the defendant attacked a power plant and threatened local businesses, causing hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “Threatening and intimidating others with violence and destruction of property will never be tolerated. The FBI and our partners will work together to hold accountable those who resort to violence.”
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The investigation was conducted jointly by the FBI and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Maitland, Winter Park, and Orlando Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Varadan is leading the prosecution.
A few months ago, two Jordanian nationals Residing in the U.S. illegally In May, they attempted to break into a Marine Corps base in Virginia.
As tensions rise in the Middle East, one expert recently told Fox News Digital that Jordan remains the “last bastion” as Iran aims to turn Jordan into Tehran’s next “terror front.”
Fox News’ Caitlin McFaul contributed to this report.
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