American authorities announced on Friday the arrest and indictment of a commander of an Iranian-backed Iraqi militia, accusing him of planning attacks in the United States, Canada, and Europe, including against Jewish sites.
Mohammed Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi, identified as a leader of the Hezbollah Brigades (Kata’ib Hezbollah), an Iranian-backed Iraqi armed group, is described as a “high-value target responsible for acts of mass terrorism on a global scale,” said FBI Director Kash Patel.
Placed in temporary detention
Designated as a “terrorist group” by Washington, the Hezbollah Brigades are part of the “Islamic resistance in Iraq,” an Iranian pro-Iran nebula that regularly claims drone and rocket attacks on bases hosting American soldiers in Iraq and the Middle East.
Without specifying the location or date of his arrest, which occurred abroad, the US Department of Justice said he had been transferred to the United States, where he appeared before a federal judge in New York on Friday and was charged with six counts related to terrorist activities. He was placed in temporary detention.
According to American authorities, this 32-year-old Iraqi national and his associates “planned, coordinated, and claimed responsibility for at least 18 terrorist attacks in Europe and two additional attacks in Canada” in retaliation for the military offensive launched since February 28 by the United States and Israel against Iran.
Fires, shootings, and knife attack
The Justice Department cited the knife attack on two Jewish men in London at the end of April, with the perpetrator being arrested and awaiting trial. It also mentioned several arson attacks or attempted attacks on synagogues, Israeli businesses, or Jewish schools in Amsterdam, Munich, and elsewhere.
The exact role of Mohammed Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi remains unclear, with court documents mentioning propaganda videos circulated on social media after different attacks.
During a telephone conversation, Al-Saadi reportedly told an FBI informant that he or his associates were involved in the European attacks, as well as two attacks in Canada. American authorities believe these include a shooting on March 10 at the US Consulate in Toronto, which resulted in no injuries.
Regarding his plans in the United States, the suspect allegedly provided an undercover agent with photographs and maps indicating the location of a significant synagogue in New York, as well as two other Jewish institutions in Los Angeles and Scottsdale, ordering him to carry out terrorist attacks. He also discussed over the phone with the undercover agent the method to be used for the New York synagogue, mentioning an improvised explosive device. However, no attack took place.
“Kill them everywhere”
According to the Justice Department, Mohammed Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi previously worked “closely” with Iranian General Qassem Soleimani, the commander of the Revolutionary Guards killed in 2020 by an American strike ordered by Donald Trump. He also publicly urged attacks against Americans on multiple occasions.
In a February message addressed “to the Shiites of Iraq,” cited by American authorities, he wrote: “Do not betray the blood of your imam (…) Kill all those who support America and Israel. Leave none of them alive. Civil and military targets, as well as dissenting voices, kill them everywhere.”
The most serious charge against him is “conspiracy to explode a public place,” which carries a potential life sentence. “These charges show that American law enforcement agencies (…) will use all means to dismantle foreign terrorist organizations and their leaders,” interim Justice Minister Todd Blanche responded.
