{"id":2633410,"date":"2026-07-21T21:54:02","date_gmt":"2026-07-22T01:54:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/former-soldier-charged-with-arson-in-manhattan-ice-facility-firebombing\/"},"modified":"2026-07-21T21:55:39","modified_gmt":"2026-07-22T01:55:39","slug":"former-soldier-charged-with-arson-in-manhattan-ice-facility-firebombing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/former-soldier-charged-with-arson-in-manhattan-ice-facility-firebombing\/","title":{"rendered":"Former soldier charged with arson in Manhattan ICE facility firebombing"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fformer-soldier-charged-with-arson-in-manhattan-ice-facility-firebombing%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2633410&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>A former U.S. army soldier, Andrew Arrabaca, was charged with arson related to the detonation of an incendiary device near 26 Federal Plaza in New York City, targeting an ICE field office. Arrabaca, 43, appeared in federal court where prosecutors stated he had plotted the attack for months. During the incident, he caused a small fire after dumping liquid and igniting fireworks, and fired pellets from a gun. He declared himself an \u201canti-American, anti-government extremist\u201d during his arrest. Arrabaca was found with military gear,axes,knives,a hammer,and a sign protesting ICE,suggesting possible suicidal intent. The court rejected his request for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/attorney-lin-wood-under-investigation-over-whether-he-voted-illegally-in-2020-election-report\/\" title=\"Attorney Lin Wood Under Investigation Over Whether He Voted Illegally In 2020 Election: Report\">mental health evaluation<\/a> at a Veterans facility, instead ordering evaluation at a federal detention centre. Prosecutors emphasized the potential for greater harm, citing his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/police-face-questions-over-delays-in-storming-texas-school\/\" title=\"Police Face Questions Over Delays in Storming Texas School\">mental health history<\/a> and the planning involved.The judge expressed concerns about Arrabaca\u2019s mental state,but noted he had previously declined psychiatric help. Arrabaca faces a minimum of seven years in prison for arson or explosion causing damage to government property.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A former U.S. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/army\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"1905\">soldier<\/a> was charged with arson in connection with the detonation of an incendiary device the day prior near 26 Federal Plaza in <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/new-york-city\/\">New York City<\/a>, which is home to an<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/ice\/\"> Immigration and Customs Enforcement<\/a> field office.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Andrew Arrabaca, a 43-year-old Army veteran, appeared in a Manhattan federal court on Tuesday, where prosecutors alleged he had plotted the attack for months.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/crime\/4658169\/manhattan-ice-attack-arson-charges\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Former soldier charged with arson in Manhattan ICE facility firebombing<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/crime\/4657186\/local-stonewall-fbi-delay-federal-search-guthrie-search-patel-google-doorbell-footage\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Local stonewalling in allowing FBI to assist in Nancy Guthrie search likely cost video evidence: Patel<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/immigration\/4656729\/ice-cbp-arrests-per-day-highest-since-trump-took-office\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>ICE and CBP averaging 1,593 arrests per day, highest since Trump took office<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Assistant U.S. Attorney Samantha Fry said Arrabaca understood his actions could have harmed others and that he was willing to accept his own death in carrying out the attack.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/fbi\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"516\">FBI<\/a> said on Monday that Arrabaca was arrested after he dumped an unknown liquid on the ground and then lit fireworks on top of it, causing a small fire. After igniting the liquid, Arrabaca fired between five and seven rounds from a pellet gun. During the incident and his subsequent arrest, Arrabaca said he was an \u201canti-American, anti-government extremist.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Arrabaca was charged with arson or explosion causing damage to U.S. government property, which carries a minimum sentence of seven years in prison. He was not required to enter a plea during his court appearance.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">U.S. Magistrate Judge Robyn F. Tarnofsky rejected Arrabaca\u2019s lawyer\u2019s request that his client be sent to a locked ward at a Veterans Health Administration facility for a mental health evaluation, instead ordering the suspect be evaluated at a federal lockup in Brooklyn.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThis is an individual who, notwithstanding what he appears to have done, has served our country and is quite clearly ill,\u201d Tarnofsky said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Arrabaca\u2019s lawyers argued he was suicidal, pointing to the military-style helmet he wore during the attack. He also had two axes, three fixed-blade knives, a hammer, a machete, and a wagon affixed with a sign that said \u201cICE Off Our Streets\u201d with him during his arrest.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fry, however, pushed for jail over hospitalization or releasing Arrabaca, noting that while only a few <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/at-least-26-injured-in-nyc-train-derailment\/\" title=\"NYC Train Derailment Leaves Over 26 Injured\">individuals sustained minor injuries<\/a>, \u201cthis attack could have ended much more tragically\u201d at a building where hundreds of federal employees work, parents leave children at a daycare, and residents use a post office inside. Prosecutors also pointed to Arrabaca previously being prescribed mental health medication in 2020 but said he stopped taking it about a year later.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/crime\/4655189\/suspect-in-custody-explosion-federal-plaza-new-york-city\/\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/crime\/4655189\/suspect-in-custody-explosion-federal-plaza-new-york-city\/\">SUSPECT IN CUSTODY AFTER EXPLOSION NEAR FEDERAL PLAZA IN NEW YORK CITY<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tarnofsky said she considered psychiatric care but had concerns that Arrabaca wouldn\u2019t comply because he had been offered such services before and did not accept them.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe crime you\u2019re charged with is troubling,\u201d she said to Arrabaca. \u201cThe nature and circumstances, the fact that it was planned over time and carried out at a time when it could cause significant harm.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ex-U.S. soldier charged with arson near NYC ICE office<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4130,"featured_media":2633411,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/AP26201721053417.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[13856,22983,8364,9519,12900],"class_list":["post-2633410","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-arson","tag-firebombing","tag-ice","tag-manhattan","tag-soldier"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/AP26201721053417.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2633410","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4130"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2633410"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2633410\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2633414,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2633410\/revisions\/2633414"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2633411"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2633410"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2633410"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2633410"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}