The U.S. Department of Justice announced on Thursday that a terrorism offense and lying to the FBI indictment has been filed against a former resident of the Pittsburgh area. According to federal officials, the man in question had traveled to Lebanon and Syria with the intention of joining the terrorist organization Hezbollah.
Jack Danaher Molloy, a 24-year-old individual, has been formally charged by a grand jury. The charges against him include attempting to provide support to a foreign terrorist organization and making false statements related to international terrorism to a department or agency of the United States.
Molloy faced charges for making false statements on December 6. He was arrested in Chicago on that day and later transported to Pittsburgh by the U.S. Marshals Service on December 30.
Between August and December, in different locations in Pennsylvania and abroad, Molloy made efforts to offer material support and resources to Hezbollah, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
According to the U.S. Dept. of Justice, Hezbollah, a militia backed by Iran and designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the United States, was established in response to the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 1982. Over the years, Hezbollah has carried out numerous terrorist attacks targeting Israeli and Western interests, including American military and diplomatic personnel.
Molloy, who holds dual citizenship in the United States and Ireland and previously served in the U.S. Army on active-duty status from mid-March to late April 2019, allegedly traveled to Lebanon in August and made an attempt to join Hezbollah, according to the federal government.
During his time in Lebanon, Molloy was advised by several individuals that it was not the appropriate moment to join the terrorist group. They emphasized that he needed to fulfill certain prerequisites before becoming a member of the organization.
In October, Molloy made his way from Lebanon to Syria with the intention of joining the fight for Hezbollah, according to the federal government.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Molloy, after coming back to the United States, lived in Upper St. Clair, a suburb of Pittsburgh. There, he persisted in his efforts to join the terrorist organization, communicating with individuals both online and in Lebanon.
Federal officials have stated that Molloy expressed a deep hatred towards Jewish people and actively promoted violence against them.
Federal officials have stated that they found evidence of his hatred towards Jewish people through various images and videos on his electronic devices. Additionally, his choice of usernames for his social media and email accounts, including a derogatory term for Jewish people on the platform X (formerly known as Twitter), further supports this animosity.
According to federal officials, in a WhatsApp conversation with a family member, Molloy admitted that his intention was to join Hezbollah and target Jews.
“The indictment further alleges that, upon arriving at the Pittsburgh International Airport on Oct. 20, 2024, Molloy lied to agents of the FBI when he told them (1) that he had no current or future plans to become involved with Hezbollah, and (2) that he had no business in, nor was he meeting with anyone, in Syria,” the U.S. Department of Justice said in a news release. “These statements and representations were false because Molloy knew at that time that (1) he did have current and future plans to become involved with Hizballah and (2) Molloy traveled to Syria in furtherance of his attempts to join Hizballah, and while in Syria, set up a meeting with an individual there.”
If Molloy is found guilty, he could potentially be sentenced to a maximum of 20 years in prison for the material support charge. In addition, he could face a maximum penalty of eight years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both, for the false statement charges.
