Prosecutors: Jordanian living in Florida threatened businesses, destroyed solar panel array

Aug. 15 (UPI) -- The U.S. Justice Department charged a 43-year-old Jordanian living in Orlando, Fla., at a detention hearing Wednesday with four counts of threatening to use explosives and one count of destruction of an energy facility.

Prosecutors said Hashem Younis Hashem Hnaihen was ordered detained pending trial. They said that, in June, Hnaihen started to target and attack businesses in the Orlando area that he perceived to be supporters of Israel.

Hnaihen, who was arrested July 11, wore a mask at night to smash through the front door of businesses and left behind "warning letters." He allegedly left a series of political demands in his letters, threatening "everything here in whole America," especially entities "that support the racist state of Israel."

Authorities said Hnaihen's attacks escalated to the point that, at the end of June, he broke into a solar power generation facility in Wedgefield, Fla., and spent hours destroying solar panel arrays.

Justice Department officials say he "smashed panels, cut wires, and targeted critical electronic equipment" before leaving behind more threatening letters.

Hnaihen is believed to have caused more than $700,000 in damage, Justice Department officials said.

According to Justice officials, Hnaihen was identified and arrested shortly after another warning Letter that threatened to "destroy or explode everything" 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," Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement.

"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."

FBI Director Christopher Wray said Hnaihen used his beliefs to threaten the country and potentially cause widespread damage.

"Violence and destruction of property to threaten and intimidate others will never be tolerated," Wray said. "The FBI and our partners will work together to pursue and hold accountable those who resort to violence."

If convicted, Hnaihen could face a maximum of 10 years in prison for each threat offense and 20 years in prison for the destruction of an energy facility.