A Jordanian citizen residing in Orlando, Florida, has been charged with threatening to use explosives and destroy an energy facility after threats against businesses for their perceived support of Israel, Reuters reports according to the US Justice Department.
“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,” US Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement.
The arrested man was identified as Hashem Younis Hashem Hnaihen, 43 and could not immediately be contacted.
FBI Director Christopher Wray added that “the defendant allegedly attacked a power facility and threatened local businesses, causing hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages.”
If convicted, Hnaihen faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for each of the four threat offences and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for the destruction of an energy facility offence, according to the Justice Department.
