Authorities have arrested a man from Florida attempting to blow up the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).
Reports say the suspect’s goal was to “reboot” and/or “reset” the U.S. government was arrested and charged Wednesday.
The suspect, named Harun Abdul-Malik Yener, 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 commerce, according to the criminal complaint.
According to the complaint, Yener was being watched by the FBI in February after receiving a tip he was storing bomb-making schematics in an unlocked storage unit in Coral Springs, Florida, about 30 miles north of Fort Lauderdale.
The complaint noted that 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.”
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.”
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.
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.
Authorities have not commented further on the arrest.