Authorities arrested a New Jersey man after he allegedly discussed bombing Trump Tower and the Israeli consulate in New York.
Authorities detained 20-year-old Jonathan Xie of Basking Ridge, New Jersey Wednesday on terrorism charges after he allegedly sent money to the Palestinan terror group Hamas. The charges include attempting to provide material support to a designated terror group, making false statements and transmitting a threat of interstate commerce, according to NBC’s New York affiliate. (RELATED: Woman Says ‘Go Trump,’ While Good Samaritan Fixes Her Car)
Authorities accused Xie of lying in an attempt to get into the U.S. Army, and falsifying answers on a Security Clearance Application as he sought a job in the national security field.
Suspect, Jonathan Xie, a 20-year-old New Jersey man, allegedly sent $ abroad to Hamas in an effort to support the terror group & spoke of bombing Trump Tower & attacking the Israeli Consulate in NY. Also accused of lying to enlist in US Army for training. https://t.co/soDHLi47E0
— Nick Short (@PoliticalShort) May 22, 2019
Xie also allegedly posted threatening messages on his Instagram page, which included a “yes/no” poll with the question”[S]hould I bomb Trump Tower?”
“Okay, so I went to NYC today and passed by Trump Tower and then I started laughing hysterically . . . s*** I forgot to visit the Israeli embassy in NYC … i want to bomb this place along with trump tower,” Xie said in one of his posts, according to NBC.
President Donald Trump’s policies have generated outrage in the Arab world, mainly over the president’s support for Israel. Trump officially recognized Jerusalem as the capital of the Jewish state this year, and recognized the Golan Heights as Israel territory.
The Palestinian Authority called for “days of rage” in which Palestinian protesters threw stones and Molotov cocktails at Israeli forces after the U.S. announced its intention to move the embassy to Jerusalem in Dec. 2017. At least 50 Palestinians were injured, and multiple rioters were killed during the clashes.
Terrorists also attacked a hotel and office in Kenya in January in retaliation for America’s recognition of Jerusalem. Al-Shabaab terrorists killed 21 people in the attack, including a Jewish American who had survived the 9/11 attacks.
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