Florida Man Arrested in Alleged Plot to Blow Up NYSE

A Florida man who said his goal was to "reboot" and/or "reset" the U.S. government was arrested and charged Wednesday with attempting to blow up the New York Stock Exchange.

Harun Abdul-Malik Yener, believed to be born in 1994, was charged in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida with attempting to use an improvised explosive device to damage or destroy a building used in interstate or foreign commerc, according to the criminal complaint.

The FBI began its investigation of Yener in February after receiving a tip he was storing bomb-making schematics in an unlocked storage unit in Coral Springs, Florida, which is about an hour north of Fort Lauderdale. Through a search warrant in March and with Yener's consent, the FBI found bomb-making sketches, numerous watches with timers, electronic circuit boards, and other electronics in the storage unit "that could be used for constructing explosive devices," according to the complaint.

Agents also discovered his repeated internet searches for aspects of bomb-making since as early as 2017.

In September, the FBI set Yener up with an undercover agent whom he believed to be part of a militia. In October, Yener identified the NYSE as where he would deploy and detonate an improvised explosive device, with the target date for Nov. 18, according to the complaint.

Yener allegedly said he planned on wearing a disguise when planting the device and recorded a message to be delivered to the media about his reasons for the attack. On Nov. 12, Yener recorded his statement that would be delivered to NBC News either the day or day after the attack, according to the complaint.

"I feel like [Osama] bin Laden," Yener allegedly told the undercover agent. In the recording, Yener allegedly said, "Our war is with the government" and encouraged others to join his cause in a "pursuit for change."

"Be warned, if you raise your fist, we will cut them off. If you kick at us, we will break your legs," he said, according to the complaint.

"If you speak ill of us, we will chop out your tongue. If you aren't willing to stand, then you will fall a victim."

He also allegedly discussed a potential second wave of attacks.

According to the complaint, Yener told the FBI in March that in 2015, "individuals who identified themselves as members of ISIS" tried to recruit him to fight for them overseas, but he did not join them in Iraq because he believed they wouldn't succeed.

He allegedly said he was among a group that wanted to join domestic extremists the Boogaloo Boys and Proud Boys but was turned down because he expressed "a desire to pursue martyrdom."

Yener was described in the complaint as "unhoused" and having a history of making violent threats. A former supervisor at a Coconut Creek, Florida, restaurant where Yener worked, told law enforcement Yener was fired in July 2023 after threatening to bring guns to the restaurant and target his co-workers because he believed they stole his money.

Yener allegedly told his co-workers, "I'm about to go Parkland shooter in this place," referring to the 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

Yener also had a YouTube channel that allegedly shared bomb-making tips and had a history of making comments supporting the Parkland shooter, Nikolas Cruz.

Newsmax reached out to the Department of Justice for comment.

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