Man Arrested for Explosives Threats and Attack on Energy Facility

Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Hashem Younis Hashem Hnaihen (43, Orlando) with four counts of threatening to use explosives and one count of destruction of an energy facility. If convicted, Hnaihen faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison for each threat offense and up to 20 years’ imprisonment for the destruction of an energy facility offense. At his detention hearing today, Hnaihen was ordered detained pending trial. The indictment also notifies Hnaihen that the United States intends to forfeit assets connected to the offense.

According to court documents, beginning around June 2024, Hnaihen targeted and attacked businesses in the Orlando area for their perceived support for the State of Israel. Wearing a mask, under the cover of night, Hnaihen smashed the glass front doors of businesses and left behind “Warning Letters.”

(Damage at two of the targeted businesses)

In his letters, which were addressed to the United States government, Hnaihen laid out a series of political demands, culminating in a threat to “destroy or explode everything here in whole America. Especially the companies and factories that support the racist state of Israel.”

Hnaihen’s attacks escalated. At the end of June, as law enforcement worked to identify the masked attacker, Hnaihen broke into a solar power generation facility in Wedgefield, Florida, and spent hours systematically destroying solar panel arrays. He smashed panels, cut wires, and targeted critical electronic equipment. Hnaihen left behind two more copies of his threatening demand letter. Hnaihen is believed to have caused more than $700,000 in damage.

(Aerial photo of the solar panel field Hnaihen attacked, with targeted panel areas outlined in red)

(Solar panels with cracked glass)

Following a multi-agency effort, law enforcement identified Hnaihen and arrested him on July 11, 2024, shortly after another “Warning Letter” threatening 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,” 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.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, with valuable assistance from the Maitland Police Department, the Winter Park Police Department, and the Orlando Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Richard Varadan.