A Florida man has been apprehended and charged with plotting to set off a bomb at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), according to court documents made available to the press.
Harun Abdul-Malik Yener is being accused of attempting to use an explosive device to wreck or destroy a building used for interstate commerce, according the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida.
The FBI also revealed that he allegedly recorded himself saying;
“I feel like [Osama] Bin Laden” – a reference to the former al-Qaeda leader responsible for the 9/11 attacks on the US.
Federal officials began probing him in February after they received a tip that he was keeping bomb-making supplies inside an unlocked storage unit.
Subsequently, the agents searched the facility in Coral Springs and discovered “bomb making sketches, numerous watches with timers, electronic circuit boards and other electronics”, court documents said.
Form those documents, investigators said Mr Yener was suspected to have told an undercover agent last week that he planned to carry out the attack the week before the Thanksgiving holiday, which takes place on November 28.
“That would be a great hit,” Mr Yener was said to have allegedly told an agent, saying the attack in lower Manhattan would be “hella easy”.
The alleged Florida bomber had also purportedly conducted numerous internet searches for how to build bombs, even going as far as telling agents that he had plans to wear a disguise during the attack and release a recorded message to the media.
Investigators said Yener’s alleged “motivation for bombing the NYSE was to attain a ‘reboot’ and/or ‘reset’ of the United States government” and he had allegedly maintained a YouTube channel with videos chronicling how to make explosives from household items.
The court documents had also revealed that Yener is a resident of southern Florida and is homeless.
He appeared in court for the first time on Wednesday and will be detained while he waits for his trial, according to the Associated Press news agency.
