Former Army mechanic indicted for plotting arson at Manhattan ICE federal building
A New York grand jury charged former soldier Andrew Arrabaca with planning a firebomb attack on the Jacob K. Javits Federal Building, which houses an ICE office.
A federal grand jury in New York indicted former Army mechanic Andrew Arrabaca on charges of orchestrating an arson attack on the Jacob K. Javits Federal Building, home to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement field office and the FBI’s New York headquarters. Authorities claim he applied a flammable liquid, tossed a firework that exploded, and fired pellets from an air-soft rifle, causing a fire that injured at least one individual and posed a serious risk to other occupants, including federal employees and emergency responders.
FBI officials reported that Arrabaca entered the premises armed with a pellet gun, knives, a hammer and a machete. U.S. Attorney Samantha Fry noted that Arrabaca understood his actions could harm others and was prepared to die in the attempt. FBI Assistant Director James C. Barnacle Jr. described the plot as driven by anti-government and anti-ICE beliefs, and praised the swift response of Federal Protective Service officers, NYPD officers, and FBI agents. Arrabaca, 43, has not yet entered a plea and an arraignment date has not been scheduled.
Why it matters
The case highlights domestic threats to federal facilities and raises concerns about extremist violence against government agencies.
In this story