A 30-year-old man from Florida has been arrested and charged with plotting to bomb the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in what prosecutors say was a scheme to "reboot" the American government.
Harun Abdul-Malik Yener, from Coral Springs, was apprehended on Wednesday after an FBI investigation uncovered his alleged plan to detonate explosives at the financial hub using a remote-controlled device.
The plot was discovered after authorities received a tip in February about "bombmaking schematics" in Yener's storage unit. A search revealed bomb-making sketches, watch timers, circuit boards and electronics suitable for explosive devices, the FBI reported.
Court documents show Yener told undercover agents he planned to strike the week before Thanksgiving, choosing the NYSE as his target. "The Stock Exchange, we want to hit that, because it will wake people up," he told agents.
The homeless man allegedly likened his planned attack to "a small nuke", intending to kill everyone inside the building. In recent weeks, he had modified two-way radios into remote detonators and planned to wear a disguise whilst planting the explosives.
Yener's troubled past includes posting videos about creating explosives from household items. He was sacked from a Florida restaurant last year after threatening to "go Parkland shooter in this place", according to his former supervisor.
The accused had attempted to join extremist groups including the "Boogaloo Bois" and Proud Boys but was rejected after expressing desires for "martyrdom", according to court documents.
Following his first court appearance on Wednesday, Yener remains in custody awaiting trial. He faces charges of attempting to use an explosive device to damage or destroy a building used in interstate commerce.
