Orlando man indicted for threatening to use explosives and destroying energy facility

ORLANDO, Florida — A 43-year-old Orlando man has been indicted on charges of threatening to use explosives and destroying an energy facility, according to the United States Attorney's Office.

Hashem Younis Hashem Hnaihen faces four counts of threatening to use explosives and one count of destruction of an energy facility. If convicted, Hnaihen could receive up to 10 years in federal prison for each threat offense and up to 20 years for the destruction of an energy facility offense. He was ordered detained pending trial at his detention hearing.

According to court documents, Hnaihen began targeting businesses in the Orlando area around June 2024, attacking them for their perceived support of the State of Israel. Wearing a mask and operating under the cover of night, Hnaihen smashed the glass front doors of businesses and left behind "Warning Letters."

In these letters, addressed to the United States government, Hnaihen issued political demands and threatened to "destroy or explode everything here in whole America. Especially the companies and factories that support the racist state of Israel."

The attacks escalated by the end of June when Hnaihen broke into a solar power generation facility in Wedgefield, Florida. He spent hours destroying solar panel arrays, cutting wires, and targeting critical electronic equipment, causing more than $700,000 in damage. Hnaihen left behind additional copies of his threatening demand letter.

Law enforcement identified and arrested Hnaihen on July 11, 2024, shortly after another "Warning Letter" was discovered at an industrial propane gas distribution depot in Orlando.

"We allege that the defendant threatened to carry out hate-fueled mass violence in our country, motivated in part by a desire to target businesses for their perceived support of Israel," said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. "Such acts and threats of violence, whether they are targeting the places that Americans frequent every day or our country’s critical infrastructure, are extremely dangerous and will not be tolerated by the Justice Department."

"Targeting and attacking businesses for perceived beliefs is unacceptable," said U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg. "The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and federally prosecute those who make violent or hate-based threats and who seek to act on these threats."

"Under the guise of expressing his beliefs, the defendant allegedly attacked a power facility and threatened local businesses, causing hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages," said FBI Director Christopher Wray. "Violence and destruction of property to threaten and intimidate others will never be tolerated. The FBI and our partners will work together to pursue and hold accountable those who resort to violence."

An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.