Federal authorities charged Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi, accusing the Iran-backed militia commander of plotting attacks targeting Jewish sites in the United States, including a synagogue in New York City.
• Prosecutors say Al-Saadi is a commander in Kataib Hezbollah, an Iraqi militia tied to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, and accuse him of planning attacks in retaliation for U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran.
• Court documents allege he planned to kill Americans and Jews in New York and Los Angeles and was involved in planning or coordinating at least 18 attacks in Europe and additional attacks in Canada since late February.
• Authorities say Al-Saadi worked closely with former Iranian Quds Force commander Qassim Suleimani and Kataib Hezbollah leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, both killed in the 2020 U.S. strike near Baghdad airport.