A plea hearing is scheduled for an Arlington man accused of threatening on Facebook to set off bombs around the D.C. area, including in the Metro system. Awais Younis, 25, was charged in federal court in Alexandria in December with using Facebook to threaten to set off explosives in the Metro system and in Georgetown. Authorities were tipped off to Younis, who also goes by Sundullah “Sunny” Ghilzai and Mohhanme Khan, by someone who corresponded with him on the social networking site. Younis has pleaded not guilty to sending threatening interstate communications, but a change-of-plea hearing is scheduled for Wednesday evening.
According to an affidavit and indictment, Younis described on Facebook how to build a pipe bomb and advocated placing bombs on the third and fifth cars of Metro trains because they “had the highest number of commuters” and he could place an explosive device on a train undetected.
He also allegedly said he could put a bomb under a Georgetown sewer head at rush hour “to produce the greatest number of casualties,” court records say.
Using Facebook’s chat function, Younis told the person who alerted authorities that “you should be nervous,” and “you want a reason to complain out me and my people. i will give you a reason.”
Frank Salvato, Younis’ attorney, didn’t return a call for comment Tuesday.
Younis has been in custody since his arrest in December. He was attending George Mason University last fall, but is no longer listed in the school’s directory.
He has had a history of mental health issues, and drugs and a gun were found in his home, according to prosecutors.
Prosecutors wrote in court papers that authorities found a loaded .40-caliber Glock handgun in a shoebox in the bedroom of Younis’ 11-year-old sister. More ammunition was found hidden in a humidifier, and more than $22,000 in cash and 11 pounds of marijuana were found under her bed.
Court documents also say that family and friends reported that Younis’ past included violent outbreaks at times.
A friend told an FBI agent that Younis has “smashed up” computers over poor grades. And a brother said that Younis used to beat up his younger siblings.
