Jordanian man attacks Florida power plant and private companies for their support of Israel

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Prosecutors say a Jordanian man living in central Florida is accused of causing hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage to a solar energy facility and vandalizing several private businesses over his apparent support for the state of Israel.

Hashem Younis Hashem Hnaihen, 43, of Orlando, was arrested last month and indicted by a federal grand jury last week on four counts of threatening to use explosives and one count of destroying an energy facility, according to court records. He faces up to 60 years in prison. A judge ordered Hnaihen held pending trial during a hearing Wednesday.

“Targeting businesses based on perceived beliefs is unacceptable,” U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida Roger Handberg said in a statement.

According to court records, Hnaihen began going to businesses at night wearing a mask in June and vandalizing their front doors. Prosecutors said Hnaihen left behind “warning letters,” which were addressed to the U.S. government. The letters laid out a series of political demands, culminating in a threat to “destroy or blow up everything here across America. Especially businesses and factories that support the racist state of Israel.”

In late June, Hnaihen broke into a solar power generating facility in Wedgefield, Florida, according to investigators. He spent several hours systematically destroying solar panels, according to authorities. He also left behind two additional copies of the warning letter. Authorities estimated the damage to be more than $700,000.

Following an interagency investigation, Hnaihen was arrested July 11 on local charges after another warning letter was discovered at an industrial propane gas distribution depot in Orlando, authorities said. He was transferred to federal custody following his indictment.

Hnaihen’s defense attorney did not immediately respond to a message from The Associated Press seeking comment.

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