US Prosecutors: Iran-Linked Commander Behind Dozens of Attacks Against Jewish Targets
Court documents released in the United States have unveiled a case in which, according to American prosecutors, a senior commander affiliated with militia groups supported by the Islamic Republic played a central role. “Mohamad Baghir Saad Dawood Al-Saadi,” an Iranian-Iraqi dual national, has been accused of coordinating operations and attacks from Iraq against Jewish centers in Britain, Europe, and even the United States; allegations that, if proven, could mark one of the most extensive cross-border terrorism cases in recent years.
The US Department of Justice has announced that Al-Saadi faces eight terrorism-related charges and is suspected of playing a role in planning or coordinating nearly 20 violent attacks and operations in Europe and the United States. According to prosecutors, these operations primarily targeted Jewish centers, institutions, and individuals.
According to the indictment, Al-Saadi is identified as a senior member of Iraq’s “Kataib Hezbollah”; a group designated as a terrorist organization by the United States. American officials also claim that he used the name of a group called “Harakat Ashaab Al-Yameen Al-Islamiyyah” as a cover for advancing his activities. This group had recently claimed responsibility for several anti-Jewish attacks in Europe.
According to court documents, Al-Saadi was arrested in Turkey in May and subsequently transferred to the United States. FBI investigations show that he had attempted to recruit an individual to carry out operations on American soil; an individual who was actually a covert operative of the organization. Prosecutors say he had planned to attack a synagogue in New York as well as gather information from Jewish centers in other American cities.
The charges are not limited to the United States alone. American judicial authorities claim that Al-Saadi played a directing role in various attacks in Europe, including arson, knife attacks, and sabotage operations against centers affiliated with the Jewish community. In some cases, he is accused of being in direct contact with attack perpetrators through online communication networks and following the execution of operations in real-time.
One of the most controversial aspects of the case relates to allegations of Al-Saadi’s close ties with high-ranking officials of the Islamic Republic. The indictment states that he identified himself as a close associate of Qasem Soleimani, and joint photographs of him and the former commander of the Quds Force also exist in the case documents. Additionally, according to The Times of London citing court documents, it has been alleged that he met with the leader of the Islamic Republic shortly before the recent conflict between Iran, the United States, and Israel; an allegation that has not been independently confirmed to date.
Al-Saadi has denied all charges. At his first hearing in federal court in New York, he described himself as a “prisoner of war” and stated: “I am not a criminal.” He also added: “We are in a state of war.” His lawyer has also requested that his client be tried not as an ordinary criminal, but within the framework of a military dispute.
This case has been brought forward at a time when anti-Jewish attacks in Europe and North America in recent months have created widespread concern among religious leaders, civil organizations, and security institutions. If the charges brought against Al-Saadi in court are proven, his case could be considered an unprecedented example of the role played by proxy networks of the Islamic Republic in organizing cross-border operations against Jewish communities in the West.
For this report, a combination of Persian and English hashtags that relate both to the topics of terrorism, religious freedom, and antisemitism and are appropriate for news distribution:
