A Florida man has been charged with plotting to blow up the New York Stock Exchange in order to “reboot” the United States government.
The FBI detained Harun Abdul-Malik Yener on Wednesday, according to an affidavit filed in Florida federal court.
According to the affidavit, the investigation into Yener began in February after authorities received information that he was stockpiling potential bombmaking materials in a storage unit in Coral Springs, Florida.
According to court records, authorities discovered bombmaking designs, watches with timers, electronic circuit boards, and other devices.
The affidavit characterizes Yener as homeless.
During a March encounter with law enforcement, Yener reportedly informed investigators that ISIS had previously attempted to recruit him in 2015, but was unsuccessful. He later revealed that he had attempted to join the Boogaloo Boys and Proud Boys but was turned down owing to a “desire to pursue martyrdom.”
Yener then allegedly said he was “just waiting for some kind of hole to open up” before attacking the United States.
Further investigation discovered Yener uploaded YouTube videos about explosives and was fired from a restaurant last year for threatening to bring guns to work and shoot his coworkers, claiming he “feels the way the Parkland shooter feels,” according to the affidavit.
During contacts with confidential sources and undercover FBI agents, Yener allegedly provided additional details, including his intention to spark a “revolution” and his eventual decision to assault the stock exchange with an improvised explosive device before Thanksgiving to “wake people up.”
Yener also told the undercovers that he intended to attach a list of demands to the attack, which he thought would be disseminated with media outlets, including mass deportation of illegal immigrants and an end to arms sales to “foreign entities.”
He recorded the demand statement earlier this month and told an undercover FBI agent, “I feel like [Osama] Bin Laden,” the late Al-Qaeda leader.
Yener was detained on Wednesday and charged with attempting to use an improvised explosive device to harm or destroy a building in interstate or foreign commerce.