Jan. 2 (UPI) — A Pennsylvania man has been indicted on charges of attempting to support the foreign terrorist organization Hezbollah, the Justice Department reported Thursday.
Jack Danaher Molloy, 24, a former resident of Pittsburgh, attempted to provide material support and resources to the terrorist group from August 2024 through December 2024, in Lebanon, Syria, the Western District of Pennsylvania, and elsewhere, the Justice Department said in a statement.
Molloy undertook these actions “knowing that the organization was a designated terrorist organization and that the organization had engaged in and was engaging in terrorist activity and terrorism, ” a release from the Justice Department said in a criminal complaint.
Molloy, a citizen of both the United States and Ireland, previously served on active duty status in the U.S Army, traveled to Lebanon in August 2024 and attempted to join Hezbollah but was told by “multiple individuals that the time was not right, and that he needed to take other steps before he could join the terrorist organization,” the Justice Department release said.
Molloy continued to try to join Hezbollah while living in Upper St. Clair, Pa. and allegedly continued to communicate with members of the organization online and in Lebanon. He also expressed his hatred toward, and promoted violence against, Jewish people,” documents show.
“Molloy’s alleged animus toward Jews was also evidenced by multiple images and videos on his electronic devices and the usernames he chose for his social media and email accounts, including the username “KIKEKILLER313″ on the social media platform X. In one alleged WhatsApp exchange with a family member, Molloy agreed that his ‘master plan was to join Hezbollah and kill Jews,’” Justice Department documents show.
He is also alleged to have visited a website that showed the possible incarceration location of Robert Bowers, the man who carried out the 2018 Pittsburgh Tree of Life Synagogue shooting during which he murdered 11 Jewish worshippers. It is thought that Molloy was a Bowers sympathizer.
The indictment also says Molloy lied to FBI investigators at the Pittsburgh International Airport in October, 2024 about his contact with members of Hezbollah. He said had no current or future plans to become involved with the organization and that he had no business in, nor was he meeting with anyone, in Syria.
“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 travelled to Syria in furtherance of his attempts to join Hezbollah, and while in Syria, set up a meeting with an individual there,” the Justice Department release said.
Molloy faces up to 28 years in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted on the material support and false statement charges.
BUTLER COUNTY, Pa. (KDKA) — A Pennsylvania hunter bagged the largest black bear in the state so far this year by killing a 717-pounder in Butler County’s Moraine State Park.
Nate Miller bagged the massive bear while hunting in Moraine State Park on Nov. 22, according to a post on Facebook from the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s Northwest Region. Nov. 22 was the opening day of black bear firearms season in Pennsylvania.
Miller, according to the post, got to the state park just before daylight and was guided by a friend to a spot. After a “quiet morning watching squirrels,” Miller walked to a bowl in the terrain and began scanning the area for bears, the Game Commission said.
“Within seconds, he spotted a massive black shape 60 to 80 yards away,” the post said.
Miller fatally shot the bear with his Remington 721, and “what followed was a true team effort,” the Facebook post said. Friends and family of Miller brought a sled to the scene, and after hours of dragging and recovery, plus a little help from rangers with the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the black bear was brought to a check station in Venango County.
The bear weighed in at 717 pounds and was 7 feet, 5 inches long from nose to tail. It had a dressed weight of 608 pounds. The post said Miller bagged a “bear of a LIFETIME!”
“The bear will be full-mounted, with the skull to be scored once dry,” the Game Commission’s post added. “An unforgettable day, an incredible harvest, and a memory that will last a lifetime. Well done, Nate!”
For comparison, the heaviest bear harvested in the state in 2024 was 774 pounds. The second heaviest was 714 pounds.
The chances of getting a bear are somewhat slim, as fewer than 2% of bear hunters harvest a bear in any given year. But the Game Commission says that’s what makes it exciting.
The average bear harvested in Pennsylvania, according to the Game Commission, is about 3 years old. Males of that age typically weigh about 200 pounds, while females of that age generally weigh 160 pounds.
“You could travel to any place in North America that has black bears and it would be hard to find bears that top those like we have here in Pennsylvania,” Game Commission Executive Director Steve Smith said in an October news release.
MOUNT POCONO, Pa. (WHTM) — President Donald Trump will return to Pennsylvania next week for an event open to the public.
The president is set to speak Tuesday, Dec. 9, at Mount Airy Casino Resort, according to the Republican Party of Pennsylvania.
His address will focus on inflation and the economy, the party said.
How to get tickets
A limited number of tickets are available for the event.
Those interested in attending must fill out a registration form. It will ask for a first name, last name, email address and phone number.
Click here to access the form.
Where is the event?
Mount Airy Casino Resort is a hotel, casino, spa and entertainment center in the Poconos Mountains.
It advertises itself as “a premier adult resort” requiring guests to be at least 21 years old. It’s not clear if that restriction applies for this event.
Last Visit to Pennsylvania
This will mark Trump’s fourth visit to the Keystone State since starting his second term.
He last visited the state in July, when he attended an energy and tech investments summit in Pittsburgh.
The president announced more than $90 billion in private-sector investments across Pennsylvania at the summit.
Pennsylvania Quakers (5-3) vs. Villanova Wildcats (6-1)
Philadelphia; Saturday, 7:30 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Pennsylvania and Villanova square off in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The Wildcats have a 6-1 record against non-conference oppponents. Villanova averages 9.9 turnovers per game and is 6-0 when it wins the turnover battle.
The Quakers have a 5-3 record in non-conference play. Pennsylvania is third in the Ivy League scoring 81.9 points per game and is shooting 45.2%.
Villanova makes 47.5% of its shots from the field this season, which is 4.2 percentage points higher than Pennsylvania has allowed to its opponents (43.3%). Pennsylvania scores 15.0 more points per game (81.9) than Villanova allows (66.9).
TOP PERFORMERS: Bryce Lindsay is shooting 49.4% and averaging 18.1 points for the Wildcats. Tyler Perkins is averaging 1.7 made 3-pointers.
Ethan Roberts is shooting 42.0% and averaging 20.3 points for the Quakers. TJ Power is averaging 15.6 points.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
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