Federal prosecutors have charged Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi, a dual Iranian-Iraqi national, with orchestrating nearly 20 terrorist plots across Europe and the United States. Al-Saadi, 32, was taken into FBI custody on May 14 after being detained abroad. He is accused of being a high-level commander for Kata’ib Hizballah and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), both designated as foreign terrorist organizations by the U.S.

Charges and Allegations

Al-Saadi faces an eight-count indictment in the Southern District of New York, including charges of conspiring to provide material support to foreign terrorist organizations and attempted acts of terrorism transcending national boundaries. If convicted, he could face life in prison.

According to the U.S. Justice Department, Al-Saadi was involved in international planning, military intelligence, and psychological warfare targeting American and Israeli interests. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche stated that Al-Saadi conspired to plan deadly attacks on American soil and has been removed from his position as an alleged commander with close ties to the Iranian regime.

Evidence and Operations

Investigators found digital evidence on Al-Saadi’s iPhone linking him to 18 recent attacks and attempted attacks in Europe. This includes a FaceTime video from April 18, showing him recording an attack on a London synagogue. Other files included images of drones rigged with white powder, matching a propaganda video claiming an embassy was targeted with radioactive materials.

U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton noted that Al-Saadi’s operations extended to the United States, citing attempted attacks in March and April 2026, including a plot against a New York City synagogue. Al-Saadi allegedly sought an operative in the U.S. to carry out an attack by “burning” or “killing.”

Connections and Confessions

After his arrest, Al-Saadi waived his Miranda rights and admitted to leading “the resistance” media and military intelligence divisions. He described his propaganda videos as tools to spread fear among civilians. Al-Saadi also claimed close ties to top Iranian leadership, including traveling with Qasem Soleimani, the IRGC Quds Force commander killed in 2020.

FBI Director Kash Patel praised the operation that led to Al-Saadi’s capture, calling it a “righteous mission” executed by U.S. agents and international allies. Al-Saadi’s trial will proceed under American law, where a federal judge will determine his sentence if convicted.

Original reporting: Tampa Free Press — read the source article.