Florida Man Arrested for Causing $700,000 in Damage at Solar Power Facility

A 43-year-old Jordanian nationalist surviving successful Orlando, Florida has been arrested and charged with 4 counts of threatening to usage explosives and 1 number of demolition of an vigor facility, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Hashem Younis Hashem Hnaihen allegedly smashed windows astatine section businesses successful Florida, leaving down threatening letters astir their perceived enactment of Israel, and broke into a star powerfulness procreation installation successful Wedgefield, Florida backmost successful June. Hnaihen allegedly spent hours smashing star panels, cutting assorted wires, and destroying captious physics equipment, according to a press release from the DOJ issued Thursday.

Hnaihen was wearing a disguise erstwhile helium allegedly smashed the solid beforehand doors of businesses that helium thought supported Israel successful June, the DOJ says, leaving down “warning letters” that included lines similar a tendency to, “destroy oregon detonate everything present successful full America. Especially the companies and factories that enactment the racist authorities of Israel.”

It’s not instantly wide wherefore helium thought the businesses supported Israel, though Middle East authorities has been an particularly heated constituent of treatment implicit the past twelvemonth successful the U.S. aft Hamas militants killed astir 1,200 radical successful panic attacks connected October 7, 2023 and Israel subsequently launched a warfare successful Gaza that has killed astatine slightest 40,000 people, with galore much inactive unaccounted for successful the rubble.

“We allege that the suspect threatened to transportation retired hate-fueled wide unit successful our country, motivated successful portion by a tendency to people businesses for their perceived enactment of Israel,” Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said successful a property release. “Such acts and threats of violence, whether they are targeting the places that Americans predominant each time oregon our country’s captious infrastructure, are highly unsafe and volition not beryllium tolerated by the Justice Department.”

Hnaihen was arrested connected July 11, though quality of his apprehension was lone made nationalist today. Hnaihen entered a plea of not blameworthy and faces a maximum of 10 years successful situation for each menace made against the Florida businesses and a maximum of 20 years for the demolition of an vigor facility, according to the DOJ.

“Under the guise of expressing his beliefs, the suspect allegedly attacked a powerfulness installation and threatened section businesses, causing hundreds of thousands of dollars successful damages,” FBI Director Christopher Wray said successful a property release.

“Violence and demolition of spot to endanger and intimidate others volition ne'er beryllium tolerated,” Wray continued. “The FBI and our partners volition enactment unneurotic to prosecute and clasp accountable those who edifice to violence.”