Federal prosecutors have unveiled an eight-count indictment against a dual Iranian-Iraqi national, accusing him of operating as a high-level commander who orchestrated nearly 20 terrorist plots across Europe and the United States.
Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi, 32, was transferred into FBI custody on May 14 after being detained while traveling abroad. According to the U.S. Justice Department, Al-Saadi served as an operative for Kata’ib Hizballah and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), both of which are designated by the U.S. as foreign terrorist organizations.
Federal officials allege that Al-Saadi was directly involved in international planning, military intelligence, and “psychological warfare” aimed at American and Israeli interests.
“As alleged in this indictment, Al-Saadi has been directly involved in terrorist operations and military decisions to attack U.S. and Israeli interests across the world and conspired with others to plan deadly attacks on American soil,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Now that he has been removed from his perch as an alleged commander of Kata’ib Hizballah with close ties to the Iranian regime and its proxies around the world, we look forward to vigorously prosecuting him under American law in an American courtroom.”
Court documents paint a picture of a tech-savvy operative who monitored and recorded live terrorist operations via encrypted apps. Investigators who searched Al-Saadi’s iPhone stated they found evidence linking him directly to 18 recent attacks and attempted attacks in Europe. These operations were claimed by a group calling itself Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya, which prosecutors state is merely a front for Kata’ib Hizballah.
The digital evidence allegedly includes a FaceTime video from April 18—the day of an attack on a London synagogue—showing Al-Saadi recording the event from a large screen while another man ordered an operative on the ground to strike. Other files found on his phone included images of drones rigged with white powder, matching a propaganda video that claimed an embassy was targeted with radioactive materials.
U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton for the Southern District of New York stated that Al-Saadi’s operations reached into the United States, citing attempted attacks in March and April 2026, including a plot against a New York City synagogue. On April 30, Al-Saadi allegedly called a contact in the U.S. to source an operative who could carry out an attack by “burning” or “killing.” He was detained by international authorities the following day.
“As alleged, Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi worked with Iranian-backed terrorist organizations to direct successful attacks that targeted civilians and attempted to target civilians in the United States,” Clayton said. “Al-Saadi claims to be part of the ‘resistance,’ a group that includes the IRGC… These organizations have a stated goal of destroying our society and our collective commitment to freedom, security, and a better world for our children.”
Following his arrest, Al-Saadi waived his Miranda rights and spoke with U.S. agents. According to court filings, he admitted to leading “the resistance” media and military intelligence divisions, noting that his propaganda videos were designed to spread fear among civilians.
Al-Saadi also described close, personal ties to top Iranian leadership. He claimed he traveled constantly with Qasem Soleimani, the IRGC Quds Force commander killed by a U.S. airstrike in 2020, describing himself as being “like a son” to him. He also stated he met with Iran’s former Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in late February, just days before Khamenei was killed.
Among the physical evidence recovered was a photo from February 2024 showing Al-Saadi in a military intelligence room filled with machine guns. On the wall behind him hung a map of the United States listing prominent current and former American officials labeled as “legitimate targets.”
“The FBI’s successful FTOC of Mohammad Al-Saadi, another high-value target responsible for mass global terrorism, is just the latest success in this administration’s historic work to bring terrorists to justice,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “This was a righteous mission executed brilliantly by our agents, investigators, CIRG tactical units, interagency partners and our allies around the world who delivered yet again.”
Al-Saadi faces a battery of federal charges in the Southern District of New York. The counts include conspiring to provide material support to foreign terrorist organizations, terrorism financing, conspiring to bomb a public place, and attempted acts of terrorism transcending national boundaries. Several of the charges carry maximum penalties of life in prison. A federal judge will determine his final sentence if he is convicted.
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