US Army veteran accused of trying to join Hezbollah

WASHINGTON: A US Army veteran who allegedly went to Lebanon and Syria to try to join Hezbollah has been indicted for attempting to support a ‘terrorist’ organisation, the Justice Department said Thursday.

Jack Danaher Molloy, 24, a dual US-Irish national, was arrested in Chicago last month and brought to Pennsylvania on Monday to face charges, the department said in a statement.

According to the indictment, Molloy travelled to Lebanon in August and attempted to join Hezbollah, which Washington has designated as a "terrorist" group.

When his efforts were rebuffed, he went to Syria in an attempt to join the organisation there.

Molloy returned to the United States and allegedly continued his attempts to join Hezbollah, communicating online with individuals in Lebanon.

According to the Justice Department, Molloy promoted violence against Jewish people on social media and said in a WhatsApp exchange with a family member that his "master plan was to join Hezbollah and kill Jews."

Molloy faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted of providing material support to a "terrorist" organisation.