By Steve Neavling
A Florida man has been arrested and charged in connection with a plot to “reboot” the U.S. government by planting a bomb at the New York Stock Exchange and detonating it remotely, the Associated Press reports, citing the FBI.
Harun Abdul-Malik Yener, 30, of Coral Springs, Fla, faces charges of attempting to use an explosive device to damage or destroy a building used in interstate commerce.
The investigation began in February when the FBI received a tip that Yener was storing “bomb-making schematics” in a storage unit. Agents discovered sketches for explosive devices, timers made from watches, electronic circuit boards, and other components that could be used to construct bombs.
According to the FBI, Yener had also been researching bomb-making materials online since 2017.
Yener allegedly told undercover agents he planned to detonate a bomb the week before Thanksgiving, targeting the stock exchange in lower Manhattan.
“The Stock Exchange, we want to hit that, because it will wake people up,” he said, according to court documents.
In the past month, Yener reportedly modified two-way radios to serve as remote triggers for explosives and planned to disguise himself while planting the bomb, court documents state.
Yener made his first court appearance on Wednesday afternoon and will remain in custody while awaiting trial.
Court records reveal Yener had a history of making threats and posting videos on YouTube about creating explosives and fireworks using household items. Last year, he was fired from a restaurant in Coconut Creek, Florida, after his supervisor alleged Yener threatened to “go Parkland shooter in this place.”
Yener also attempted to join the far-right anti-government group known as the “Boogaloo Bois” and the extremist Proud Boys but was rejected due to his stated desire to “pursue martyrdom,” according to court documents.
The story was initially reported by the website CourtWatch.
Attempts to reach Yener at phone numbers listed in public records were unsuccessful, and no lawyer is currently listed for him in court filings.
