Jack Danaher Molloy, 24, was named in court documents as a defendant facing charges of material support of terrorism and making false statements to the FBI, according to a Thursday Department of Justice press release.
Molloy is accused to traveling to both Lebanon and Syria in August 2024, and attempting to offer his services to the Shia Islamist group Hezbollah as a fighter. The defendant, who is a U.S. and Irish dual citizen, had allegedly converted to Islam earlier that year. Molloy offer of joining Hezbollah appears to have been rejected, with the organization's personnel expressing their belief that Molloy's circumstances were highly unusual and would likely bring about suspicion of acting as an Israeli spy.
Hezbollah is designated by the United States government as a terrorist group, and is responsible for terrorist attacks against American service members and civilians in the Middle East. The group is currently engaged in open hostilities against Israel.
Molloy is subsequently accused of lying to members of the FBI upon his return to the United States in October, claiming that he had no intention of engaging with Hezbollah in Syria. The defendant allegedly continued his attempts to join Hezbollah after being rebuffed in both Syria and Lebanon about the prospect after returning to the United States.
Antipathy towards Jewish people appears to have formed the motive of Molloy's Islamist sympathies, according to prosecutors. Molloy allegedly posted on the X platform with the username “KIKEKILLER313” and allegedly told an individual in a WhatsApp chat that his "master plan was to join Hezbollah and kill Jews." Molloy was arrested in Chicago in December on the federal charges, and was transported by the United States Marshals to face the charges in the Western District of Pennsylvania before New Year's Eve.The U.S. Department of Justice announced yesterday an Indictment against Jack Danaher Molloy, a 24-Year-Old Duel Irish and American Citizen who had attempted several times in 2024 to join Hezbollah, in order to “Kill Jews” from what he said on Social Media and to Family Members.… pic.twitter.com/J7Ih8Gk1p0
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) January 4, 2025
Molloy appears to have served on active duty in the Army in March and April 2019, a duration of time insufficient to have graduated basic training. Molloy subsequently signed a contract to participate in the University of Illinois at Chicago's Army ROTC training, but is no longer a member of the program.
If convicted on both material support of terrorism and false statement charges, Molloy could face as many as 28 years in federal prison. It's unclear if the defendant has entered a plea in court in response to the charges.
