JORDANIAN TERRORIST LIVED IN ORLANDO
Aziza Hawthorne, Esq., Public Defender and Hashem Younis Hnaihen Hnaihen, Terrorist
JORDANIAN CITIZEN ARRESTED FOR DESTROYING MULTIPLE BUSINESSES THAT HE THOUGHT WERE AIDING THE ISRAELI WAR EFFORT
BY RUTHIE DITUCCI
Orlando, Florida – Hashem Younis Hashem Hnaihen, a 43-year-old Jordanian citizen, has been arrested for causing extensive damage to a solar energy facility in Orlando. Mainstream Media continues to minimize Hnaihen’s activities by saying he’s attacking “solar panels.” The reality is that he attacked multiple businesses such as an Industrial Propane Gas Depot, McDonalds and Starbucks restaurants in both Orlando and Maitland, Florida and left threatening letters addressed to the U.S. Government.
BUSINESSES DAMAGED BY HASHEM YOUNIS HASHEM HNAIHEN
His general motivation was that he felt the businesses he targeted were supporting Israel.
While in Florida, Hnaihen lived quite comfortably in a 5-bedroom 5-bath home in a gated Florida community located at 1349 Willow Branch Dr Orlando, FL 32828. A business associated with this house is registered in Florida’s SunBiz.org website named TIPTOE INTERNATIONAL INC. with the Federal EIN No. 61-1775257.
HASHEM YOUNIS HASHEM HNAIHEN LIVED IN A RELATIVE’S ORLANDO, FL HOME
RAP SHEET (RECORD OF ARRESTS AND PROSECUTIONS)
WRITTEN/ELEC THREAT MASS SHOOTING/TERRORISM ACT (THREAT)
Location – ORANGE COUNTY, FL
Date of Offense – 6/29/2024
Court Case Number – 2024CF009486AO
Court Disposition – Status: OPEN 20240712
WRITTEN/ELEC THREAT MASS SHOOTING/TERRORISM ACT (THREAT)
Court Statute – 836.10(2)(B)
Court Fines
Hashem Younis Hashem Hnaihen
BURGLARY OF STRUCTURE
Location – ORANGE COUNTY, FL
Date of Offense – 6/29/2024
Court Case Number – 2024CF009486AO
Court Disposition Status: OPEN 20240712
BURGLARY OF STRUCTURE
Court Statute – 810.02(4)
Hashem Younis Hashem Hnaihen
CR-CRIMINAL MISCHIEF (>$1000)
Location – ORANGE COUNTY, FL
Date of Offense – 6/29/2024
Court Case Number – 2024CF009486AO
Court Offense
CR-CRIMINAL MISCHIEF (>$1000)
Court Statute – 806.13(1)(B)(3)
Identifying Info on Record
Hashem Younis Hashem Hnaihen
ESTIMATED DAMAGE COSTS ARE WELL MORE THAN $1 MILLION
On June 29, 2024 Hnaihen systematically spent hours destroying solar panels at a solar farm facility in Wedgefield, Florida. Prosecutors described the attack as premeditated and sophisticated, noting that Hnaihen cut wires close to the panels, making repairs impossible and permanently decommissioning the panels. The damage is estimated to exceed $700,000.
In addition to the attack on the solar facility, Hnaihen is accused of targeting various businesses in the Orlando area. He reportedly smashed doors and windows and left “Warning Letters” addressed to the U.S. government, threatening to “destroy or explode everything here in whole America,” particularly targeting companies perceived to support Israel.
Hnaihen was arrested on July 11 after placing another warning letter at an industrial propane gas depot in Orlando. He faces four counts of threats to use explosives and one count of destruction of an energy facility. If convicted, he could face up to 10 years in prison for each threat charge and up to 20 years for the destruction of the energy facility.
Attorney General Merrick Garland emphasized the seriousness of the charges, stating, “We allege that the defendant threatened to carry out hate-fueled mass violence in our country, motivated in part by a desire to target businesses for their perceived support of Israel.”
Hnaihen has entered a plea of not guilty and is being held pending trial.
This case highlights the ongoing challenges in protecting critical infrastructure and the importance of addressing hate-motivated violence.
FEDERAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY AZIZA HAWTHORNE WILL DEFEND HNAIHEN
Aziza Hawthorne, a New York native, graduated from Binghamton University with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and French, and earned her Juris Doctor and an Advanced Certificate in International Law from the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University. During law school, she was active in Mock Trial and Moot Court teams and held leadership roles in the National Black Law Students Association. She began her career representing indigent clients in Rhode Island at the Public Defender Office and was part of the inaugural class of fellows for Defender Services’ Non-Capital Fellowship Program, practicing in the District Court for the District of Massachusetts. There, she represented clients charged with various offenses, including those related to the events of January 6, 2021, before joining the Orlando Federal Defender Office.
