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Feds: Basking Ridge man aided Hamas, threatened to kill pro-Israel supporters

A Somerset County man is facing terrorism charges after he allegedly made donations to Hamas, threatened to kill pro-Israel supporters and threatened to blow up Trump Tower.
Jonathan Xie, 20, was arrested at his Basking Ridge home Wednesday morning. The FBI was still out at Xie’s home collecting evidence Wednesday afternoon.
Investigators say that Xie used social media to arrange a $100 donation to the terror group Hamas, a Palestinian Sunni-Islamist fundamentalist organization, through Moneygram. Xie allegedly wrote on Instagram, “Just donated $100 to Hamas. Pretty sure it was illegal but I don’t give a damn.”
Officials say that in April 2019 Xie appeared in an Instagram Live video wearing a black ski mask and stating that he was “against Zionism and the neo-liberal establishment.” He was also allegedly seen displaying a Hamas flag and holding a handgun.
Xie is allegedly heard saying, “I’m gonna go to the [expletive] pro-Israel march and I’m going to shoot everybody.” Investigators say that he appeared in subsequent Instagram posts threatening to shoot people at the demonstration or using a car to ram people.
“I do not care if security forces come after me, they will have to put a bullet in my head to stop me,” Xie is allegedly heard saying.
Authorities say that Xie was spotted on surveillance video outside Trump Tower in Manhattan. Later he allegedly posted an Instagram photo of himself at the tower with the caption “Should I bomb Trump Tower?” with a Yes/No poll.
Xie also tried to join the U.S. Army in February “to learn how to kill… So I can use that knowledge.”
Xie is facing a charge of attempting to provide material support to a terror organization, two counts of making false statements for allegedly lying on his Army application and a charge of making a threat over interstate commerce.
Xie appeared before a federal judge in Newark Wednesday afternoon. He was held without bail.