An Iraqi national accused of orchestrating at least 18 terror attacks across Europe in retaliation for the US and Israel's war with Iran has been arrested and charged with supporting Iran-backed terrorist organizations. The attacks included firebombing a bank in Amsterdam and stabbing Jewish men in London.
Details of the Plot
According to a complaint unsealed Friday in federal court in Manhattan, Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi planned to attack a New York City synagogue last month. He also provided an undercover law enforcement officer with photographs and maps of Jewish centers in Los Angeles and Scottsdale, Arizona, which he intended to target.
Involvement in Canadian Attacks
Al-Saadi is also accused of involvement in two recent attacks in Canada: an assault on a synagogue and a shooting at the US consulate in Toronto in March. US prosecutors stated that he directed and encouraged others to attack US and Israeli interests, including by killing Americans and Jews.
Communication and Evidence
The complaint reveals that Al-Saadi posted about the attacks on Snapchat and Telegram and discussed them in phone calls recorded by an FBI informant. He told the informant he was willing to kill people in any such attacks.
Legal Charges
Al-Saadi, 32, is charged with conspiracy to provide material support to Kata'ib Hezbollah, an Iran-backed Iraqi Shia militant group, and Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, both designated as foreign terrorist organizations by the US government. He is also charged with conspiring and providing material support for acts of terrorism and conspiring to bomb a place of public use. If convicted, he faces life in prison.
Official Statements
FBI Director Kash Patel described Al-Saadi as a high-value target responsible for mass global terrorism, praising the arrest as a righteous mission executed brilliantly by the agency and its partners. New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch noted that the case highlights the global threats posed by the Iranian regime and its proxies.
Court Appearance
Al-Saadi smiled during his initial court appearance but did not speak. Through his lawyer, he claimed to be a political prisoner and a prisoner of war, asserting that the US is persecuting him for his relationship with Qasem Soleimani, the Revolutionary Guard leader killed in a US drone strike in 2020. He was not required to enter a plea and remains jailed, though he may request bail.
Arrest and Extradition
His lawyer, Andrew Dalack, said Al-Saadi was arrested in Turkiye and turned over to US authorities. Patel thanked US Ambassador to Turkiye Tom Barrack for his role in facilitating the extradition. Al-Saadi has been held in solitary confinement since arriving at a federal jail in Brooklyn, which Dalack called unusual given the nature of the charges.
Series of Attacks
According to the complaint, Al-Saadi and unnamed associates planned, coordinated, and claimed responsibility for a series of attacks in the name of Harakat Ashab Al-Yamin Al-Islamiya, a component of Kata'ib Hizballah, since the war began on Feb. 28. These include the bombing of a Bank of New York Mellon building in Amsterdam in mid-March and a thwarted bomb attack on a Bank of America office in Paris on March 28. Teenage suspects were previously arrested in both cases.
The Amsterdam attack caused a fire and significant damage but no injuries. Al-Saadi celebrated the attack on Snapchat with a video showing the blast and assailants fleeing on a motorcycle. In Paris, police found a homemade bomb containing 650 grams of explosives, which could have produced a large fireball and ignited a significant blaze.
US Targets
Last month, Al-Saadi focused on bombing Jewish sites in the US. He offered an undercover officer $10,000 in cryptocurrency for simultaneous attacks on the New York synagogue and Jewish centers in Arizona and California. After paying an initial $3,000 installment, he urged the officer to strike as soon as possible, texting on April 6: I wanna see good news tonight ... not tomorrow bro.
