ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — A Jordanian man living in central Florida is charged with causing hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of damage to a solar power facility and vandalizing several private businesses he believes are pro-Israel, prosecutors said.
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.
“It is unacceptable to target businesses for their perceived beliefs,” said Roger Handberg, U.S. Attorney for the Central District of Florida.
According to court records, in June, Hnaihen began showing up at businesses at night, wearing a ski mask, and breaking down front doors. According to prosecutors, Hnaihen left “warning letters” addressed to the U.S. government. The letters contained a series of political demands that culminated in a threat to “destroy or blow up everything here, all over the United States. Especially businesses and factories that support the racist state of Israel.”
Investigators say Hnaihen broke into a solar power generating facility in Wedgefield, Florida, in late June. He spent several hours systematically destroying solar panels, authorities said. He also left two more copies of the warning letter at the facility. Authorities estimated the damage he caused at more than $700,000.
Following an interagency investigation, Hnaihen was arrested on July 11 on local charges after another warning letter was found at an industrial propane distribution warehouse in Orlando, according to authorities. He was then remanded in custody after being charged.
Hnaihen’s defense attorney has not responded to a message from The Associated Press seeking comment.
