An Iraqi national who was detained abroad is currently facing terrorism-related charges in the United States. The accused, Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi, is alleged to have planned multiple attacks targeting Jewish communities in Europe and North America, including two incidents in Toronto. These actions are said to be linked to Iran-backed terrorist groups.
According to a complaint filed by the U.S. Justice Department and unsealed in a Manhattan federal court, Al-Saadi is believed to be an operative of Kata’ib Hizballah and the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), both of which are designated as foreign terrorist organizations by the U.S. and Canada. The complaint states that he has been involved in nearly 20 attacks or attempted attacks on ambulances, schools, and synagogues since the war on Iran began on February 28.
One of the synagogue attacks allegedly coordinated by Al-Saadi took place in Toronto, although the specific location has not been disclosed. It is noted that there have been numerous such attacks in the city over recent years.
Al-Saadi is also accused of planning an attack on the U.S. consulate in Toronto on March 10. At the time, people were inside the University Ave. building, but no one was injured. Authorities in Toronto and Canada have not yet provided any official comments on the arrest.
Several related incidents have been reported in the media, including the shooting at a Jewish-owned restaurant in North York and a case where a teenager was accused of firing a pellet gun at a synagogue. In another instance, the teen was released on a $2,000 bail.
U.S. acting Attorney General Todd Blanche emphasized that the charges against Al-Saadi demonstrate the commitment of American law enforcement to combat terrorism. He stated that “American law enforcement will never let such evil go unchecked and will use all tools to disrupt and dismantle foreign terrorist organizations and their leaders.”
FBI Director Kash Patel described the arrest as “a righteous mission executed brilliantly by our agents, investigators, CIRG tactical units and interagency partners.”
The complaint against Al-Saadi includes allegations that he worked closely with Qasem Soleimani, the former commander of the IRGC-QF, who was killed in a U.S. drone strike at Baghdad International Airport in January 2020. It also mentions Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the leader of Kata’ib Hizballah, who was killed in the same airstrike.
According to the DOJ, Al-Saadi encouraged others to attack and kill Americans, particularly in response to the deaths of Soleimani and al-Muhandis. The DOJ claims that on July 2, 2020, Al-Saadi posted an image on social media showing the U.S. Capitol in ruins alongside the faces of Soleimani and al-Muhandis, with the text, “Our revenge for the martyred leaders is ongoing. No negotiations with the occupier.”
Al-Saadi is also alleged to have called for “warriors of Islam” to engage in “jihad.” The DOJ claims that in recent months, he directed and urged others to attack U.S. and Israeli interests, including killing Americans and Jews, to further the goals of Kata’ib Hizballah and the IRGC.
Federal officials state that Al-Saadi has shared videos of attacks on social media and promoted violent acts. He is accused of being responsible for several attacks, including one involving explosives at an American bank in Amsterdam, Netherlands, on March 15; an arson at a synagogue in Skopje, North Macedonia, on April 12; and a stabbing that left two Jewish men, one a dual U.S.-British citizen, seriously injured in London, England, on April 29.
Al-Saadi is also accused of attempting to hire someone he believed to be a member of a Mexican cartel to carry out attacks at a prominent synagogue in New York City, as well as two Jewish institutions in Los Angeles and Scottsdale, Arizona, for $10,000. However, the individual he approached turned out to be an undercover FBI agent, leading to his arrest.
Al-Saadi is facing multiple charges related to these allegations, though they have not yet been tested in court. He did not enter a plea during his first court appearance and remains in custody, held in solitary confinement, awaiting his next court date.
His lawyer, Andrew Dalack, stated that Al-Saadi was arrested in Turkey and handed over to U.S. authorities before being transported to New York. Dalack claimed that Al-Saadi is a “political prisoner and a prisoner of war,” suggesting that he is being punished for his alleged connection with the late Qasem Soleimani.
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