Greenbelt, Maryland (CNN) The assistant federal public defender representing a Maryland man who has been called a "domestic terrorist" by the government argued in court Thursday that the Coast Guard officer should not be detained, saying it's "not a crime to think negative thoughts about people."

Lt. Christopher Paul Hasson was ordered to be detained pending trial, despite his attorney's arguments. But US Magistrate Judge Charles B. Day ruled that Hasson's legal team could come back to court to fight the detention after 14 days if the government doesn't charge him by then with additional criminal activity related to domestic terrorism.

Hasson, 49, was charged last Friday with illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition, as well as possession of the controlled substance Tramadol. But in a memo requesting his detention and again in court on Thursday, the government said those charges "are the proverbial tip of the iceberg."

At the hearing, Hasson, wearing a maroon jumpsuit, sat calmly and silently as his attorney argued that he shouldn't be detained.

The government alleges that Hasson is a self-described white supremacist and maintained a hit list of prominent Democrats and journalists, including individuals at CNN and MSNBC.

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