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The US Department of Justice has charged 24-year-old US Army veteran Jack Danaher Molloy with attempting to support the terrorist organization Hezbollah and promoting hate violence.

Molloy, a U.S. and Irish citizen, was detained in Chicago last month and transferred to Pennsylvania to face formal charges, the department said. The investigation claims that in August last year he went to Lebanon with the aim of joining the ranks of Hezbollah, but was unable to achieve recognition from the group. He later tried to continue his efforts in Syria.

After returning to the United States, Molloy allegedly continued to maintain contact with individuals associated with Hezbollah through online communications. The indictment also states that he used social media to promote violence against Jews.

In particular, in one WhatsApp message to a relative, he allegedly stated that his “master plan was to join Hezbollah and kill Jews.”

If found guilty, Molloy faces up to 20 years in prison. The Justice Department stresses that the case is under investigation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.