A Florida man was arrested Wednesday and charged with a plot to 鈥渞eboot鈥 the U.S. government by planting a bomb at the New York Stock Exchange this week and detonating it with a remote-controlled device, according to the FBI.
Harun Abdul-Malik Yener, 30, of Coral Springs, Florida, was charged with attempt to use an explosive device to damage or destroy a building used in interstate commerce.
The FBI began investigating Yener in February based on a tip that he was storing 鈥渂ombmaking schematics鈥 in a storage unit. Authorities found bomb-making sketches, many watches with timers, electronic circuit boards and other electronics that could be used for building explosive devices, according to the FBI.
He also searched online for things related to bomb-making since 2017, according to the FBI.
Yener also told undercover FBI agents that he wanted to detonate the bomb the week before Thanksgiving and that the stock exchange in lower Manhattan would be a popular site to target.
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鈥淭he Stock Exchange, we want to hit that, because it will wake people up,鈥 he told undercover FBI agents, according to court documents.
People pass the New York Stock Exchange on Nov. 5 in New York.
Yener, who was described as "unhoused,鈥 wanted to bomb the stock exchange in order to 鈥渞eboot鈥 the U.S. government, explaining that it would be 鈥渓ike a small nuke went off,鈥 killing everyone inside the building, according to court documents.
In the past month, he rewired two-way radios so they could work as remote triggers for an explosive device and planned to wear a disguise when planting the explosives, according to court documents.
Yener had his first court appearance Wednesday afternoon and will be detained while he awaits a trial.
He was known to post videos on YouTube channels about making explosives and fireworks from household items, and had a history of making threats, according to court documents.
He was fired last year from a restaurant in Coconut Creek, Florida, after his former supervisor said he threatened to 鈥済o Parkland shooter in this place.鈥
He also聽was part of a small group that tried to join the far-right anti-government group the 鈥溾 and聽聽but was denied membership because he said he wanted 鈥渢o pursue martyrdom,鈥 according to court documents.
The news was first reported by the website CourtWatch.
Calls to telephone numbers listed for Yener in public records rang unanswered and a lawyer was not listed in court records.
Today in history: Nov. 20
1947: Royal Wedding
In 1947, Britain鈥檚 future queen, Princess Elizabeth, married Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, at Westminster Abbey.
1952: John Foster Dulles
In 1952, President-elect Dwight D. Eisenhower announced his selection of John Foster Dulles to be his secretary of state.
1962: John F. Kennedy
In 1962, President John F. Kennedy held a news conference in which he announced the end of the naval quarantine of Cuba imposed during the missile crisis, and the signing of an executive order prohibiting discrimination in federal housing facilities.
1984: Michael Jackson
In 1984, pop star Michael Jackson was inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame with the unveiling of his star in front of a horde of screaming fans.
1985: Microsoft Windows
In 1985, the first version of Microsoft鈥檚 Windows operating system, Windows 1.0, was officially released.
2000: Florida Recount
In 2000, lawyers for Al Gore and George W. Bush battled before the Florida Supreme Court over whether the presidential election recount should be allowed to continue.
2003: Michael Jackson
In 2003, Michael Jackson was booked on suspicion of child molestation in Santa Barbara, California. (Jackson was later acquitted at trial.)
2003: Phil Spector
In 2003, record producer Phil Spector was charged with murder in the shooting death of an actor, Lana Clarkson, at his home in Alhambra (al-HAM鈥-bruh), California. (Spector鈥檚 first trial ended with a hung jury in 2007; he was convicted of second-degree murder in 2009 and sentenced to 19 years to life in prison. He died in January 2021.)
2011: Spain
Ten years ago: Spain鈥檚 opposition conservatives were swept into power as voters dumped the Socialists 鈥 the third time in as many weeks Europe鈥檚 debt crisis had claimed a government.
2012: Hector "Macho" Camacho
In 2012, former boxing champion Hector 鈥淢acho鈥 Camacho was shot while sitting in a car in his hometown of Bayamon, Puerto Rico. (Camacho died four days later after doctors removed him from life support.)
2012: Jack Taylor
Jack Taylor, a guard for the Grinnell College basketball team, shattered the NCAA scoring record with a 138-point performance as the Division III school beat Faith Baptist Bible, 179-104.
2012: Kevin Clash
鈥淓lmo鈥 puppeteer Kevin Clash resigned from 鈥淪esame Street鈥 amid allegations of sexually abusing underage boys, which Clash denied.聽
2015: Jonathan Pollard
In 2015, Jonathan Pollard, a former U.S. Navy intelligence analyst, was released from prison after 30 years behind bars for spying for Israel. (After five years of parole, Pollard moved to Israel in December 2020.)
2016: Ariana Grande
Five years ago: At the American Music Awards in Los Angeles, Ariana Grande was named artist of the year; Zayn was named new artist of the year.
2017: Charlie Rose
CBS 69传媒 suspended Charlie Rose, and PBS stopped distribution of his nightly interview show, after a Washington Post report carried accusations of sexual misconduct from eight women.
2020: Georgia
One year ago: Georgia鈥檚 Republican governor and its top elections official certified results showing Democrat Joe Biden won the state鈥檚 presidential vote over President Donald Trump; the margin was less than 0.5%, allowing the Trump campaign to ask for a recount.
2020: Kyle Rittenhouse
One year ago: Kyle Rittenhouse, a 17-year-old from Illinois who was charged with killing two people during a demonstration that followed a police shooting in Kenosha, Wisconsin, posted $2 million bail and was released from custody.
2020: Wisconsin
One year ago: A recount of the presidential election in Wisconsin鈥檚 two most heavily Democratic counties began with the Trump campaign seeking unsuccessfully to discard tens of thousands of absentee ballots.聽
