'Explode everything' threats at Florida Starbucks, McDonald's tied to Israel-Hamas conflict: DOJ
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. - New details have been revealed about Hashem Younis Hashem Hnaihen, a man who is accused of threatening to "explode everything" at several businesses and facilities in Orange County, Florida, including two Starbucks locations, a McDonald's and an energy facility.
FOX 35 previously reported about Hnaihen's indictment earlier this week. A grand jury indicted the 43-year-old on four counts of threatening to use explosives and one count of destruction of an energy facility after incidents that happened on June 25 and June 29 of this year, according to documents from the U.S. District Court of the Middle District of Florida.
Hashem Younis Hashem Hnaihen
Hnaihen allegedly "left a letter" that said he would "explode everything here in whole America" at two Starbucks locations – one in Orlando and another in Winter Park, a McDonald's in Maitland, and a solar power generation facility in Wedgefield.
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The U.S. Department of Justice revealed more information about the investigation on Thursday.
Hnaihen, a citizen from Jordan who lives in Orlando, was "motivated in part by a desire to target businesses for their perceived support of Israel" amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said, adding that he threatened to "carry out hate-fueld mass violence."
"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," Garland added.
He left the aforementioned "warning letters" at businesses in Orange County after allegedly smashing their glass front doors, officials said.
Damage at two McDonald's, Starbucks locations (Photo: U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida)
The Department of Justice said that these letters, which were addressed to the United States government, included a series of political demands. Hnaihen allegedly threatened to "destroy or explode everything here in whole America. Especially the companies and factories that support the racist state of Israel."
"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," FBI Director Christopher Wray said in a press release. "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."
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Hnaihen's threats escalated when he allegedly broke into a solar power generation facility in Wedgefield on June 29 and "spent hours systematically destroying solar panel arrays," the Department of Justice said.
Aerial photo of solar panel field Hnaihen allegedly attacked. The targeted panel areas have been outlined in red. (Photo: U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida)
"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," according to officials.
Solar panels with cracked glass that Hnaihen allegedly attacked (Photo: U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida)
The man was arrested July 11 when another "warning letter" was found at an industrial propane gas distribution depot in Orlando.
"Targeting and attacking businesses for perceived beliefs is unacceptable," U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg for the Middle District of Florida said in a press release. "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."
Officials said Hnaihen appeared in court for a detention hearing on Wednesday and was ordered detained pending trial. If convicted, Hnaihen faces a maximum penalty of 60 years in prison.