An Iraqi national accused of involvement in multiple attacks and attempted attacks against US interests in Europe and the United States has been arrested and brought to the United States to face six terrorism-related charges, according to the US Justice Department.
Prosecutors said Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi was a senior member of Kata’ib Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militia, and accused him of providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization.
US Attorney Jay Clayton for the Southern District of New York said Al-Saadi was accused of coordinating or supporting nearly 20 attacks and attempted attacks across Europe and the United States, “including his efforts to kill on US soil.”
The US government and independent experts say Kata’ib Hezbollah operates at the direction of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
US officials said Al-Saadi was taken into American custody overseas and transported to the United States, where he appeared before a magistrate judge and was ordered detained pending trial. ABC News reported he was detained in Turkey and handed over to US authorities.
Prosecutors allege Al-Saadi directed and encouraged attacks on US and Israeli targets, including efforts to kill Americans and Jewish civilians, as part of a broader campaign tied to Iranian-backed militant groups.
Court documents cited by officials describe attacks linked to Al-Saadi and his associates that included bombings, arson and assaults targeting American interests abroad. Officials also allege he discussed possible attacks inside the United States, including potential targets in New York, California and Arizona.
