The US has arrested Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi, an Iraqi national and alleged senior commander of an Iran-backed group, for orchestrating international terror attacks. He faces charges related to at least 18 attacks aimed at pressuring the US and Israel regarding military actions against Iran.
Key points
US arrests Iraqi national Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi
Al-Saadi is accused of orchestrating at least 18 international terror attacks
Attacks aimed to pressure US and Israel regarding military actions against Iran
FBI Director calls al-Saadi a high-value target for global terrorism
Operation led by US Ambassador Tom Barrack in Turkiye
Mentioned in this story
Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-SaadiKataib HezbollahFBIDepartment of JusticeTurkiye
The United States Department of Justice has arrested and charged an Iraqi national alleged to be a senior commander of an Iran-backed armed group that is said to have orchestrated a wave of international terror attacks.
A criminal complaint unsealed on Friday in a Manhattan federal court accuses Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi, 32, of involvement in at least 18 attacks and attempted attacks spanning the US, Canada, and Europe.
According to US court filings, the attacks were carried out to compel the US and Israel to halt their recent military actions against Iran.
FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed that agency personnel arrested al-Saadi, whom he described as “another high-value target responsible for mass global terrorism”. Al-Saadi was arrested overseas and brought to the US. Patel called the arrest the latest success in the administration’s “historic work to bring terrorists to justice”.
In a post on X, Patel praised the tracking and capture as a “righteous mission executed brilliantly” by agents and tactical units, while extending special credit to US Ambassador Tom Barrack in Turkiye for leading the joint operation to bring the suspect home.
New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch added that the case “puts into stark relief the global threats posed by the Iranian regime and its proxies”.
Who is Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi?
Federal prosecutors identify al-Saadi as a high-level leader within Kataib Hezbollah, an Iraq-based fighter group designated by the US as a “foreign terrorist organisation”.
The FBI states that al-Saadi has been an active member of the group since at least 2017, working closely with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to advance its regional operations.
Investigators say al-Saadi maintained personal relationships with top-tier military leaders, including the late IRGC-Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani, and openly used the Snapchat and Telegram platforms to promote their agendas and celebrate bombings.
Following the start of the military conflict between the US, Israel, and Iran in late February 2026, prosecutors allege al-Saadi became a central figure in coordinating international retaliation through a front group to activate cells – frequently using teenage suspects – across Europe and Canada.
Q&A
Who is Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi and what are the charges against him?
Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi is a 32-year-old Iraqi national charged with orchestrating at least 18 international terror attacks to influence US and Israeli military actions against Iran.
What was the role of the FBI in the arrest of al-Saadi?
The FBI confirmed the arrest of al-Saadi, describing him as a high-value target responsible for global terrorism, and praised the operation as a significant success in combating terrorism.
How did the US authorities manage to capture al-Saadi?
Al-Saadi was arrested overseas and brought to the US as part of a joint operation led by US Ambassador Tom Barrack in Turkiye, with support from FBI agents and tactical units.
What impact do al-Saadi's actions have on US-Iran relations?
Al-Saadi's alleged involvement in terror attacks aimed at pressuring the US and Israel highlights ongoing tensions and could further complicate diplomatic relations between the US and Iran.
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This photo from a criminal complaint unsealed Friday, May 15, 2026 by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, shows Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi, right, with Qasem Soleimani, former commander of the Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' Quds Force, featured on al-Saadi’s Snapchat account according to a federal criminal complaint. (U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York via AP)
Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi, right, with Qassem Soleimani, former commander of Iran’s IRGC Quds Force [File: US District Court for the Southern District of New York/AP]
What is he accused of?
The complaint outlines a violent trail of international plots directed by al-Saadi, including the mid-March firebombing of a Bank of New York Mellon building in Amsterdam, a shooting at the US consulate in Toronto, and a stabbing in London that wounded an American citizen.
French police also thwarted an attack he allegedly coordinated against a Bank of America office in Paris, discovering a homemade petrol and firework bomb packed with 0.65kg (23oz) of explosives, The Associated Press news agency reported.
Last month, al-Saadi turned his attention to US soil. Working with an FBI informant and an undercover law enforcement officer, al-Saadi allegedly offered $10,000 in cryptocurrency to launch simultaneous attacks on a New York City synagogue and Jewish centres in California and Arizona, according to the AP.
Court documents note that al-Saadi told the informant he was “willing to kill people”, and sent a text message to the undercover officer after making a $3,000 crypto down-payment, stating: “I wanna see good news tonight … not tomorrow bro.”
The Charges and Next Steps
Al-Saadi appeared in a Manhattan federal court on Friday, where he was hit with a six-count criminal complaint. The specific federal charges include:
Two counts of conspiracy to provide material support to foreign terrorist organisations (Kataib Hezbollah and the IRGC).
Conspiracy to provide material support for acts of terrorism.
Provision of material support for acts of terrorism.
Conspiracy to bomb a place of public use.
Destruction of property by means of fire or explosives.
According to the AP, al-Saadi smiled throughout the initial hearing but did not speak. He was not required to enter a plea and will remain jailed for the time being, though he retains the right to request a bail hearing.
Through his defence lawyer, Andrew Dalack, al-Saadi claimed he is a “political prisoner” and a “prisoner of war”, arguing that the US government is persecuting him solely because of his past ties to Soleimani.
Dalack noted that al-Saadi has been kept in solitary confinement since arriving at a federal jail in Brooklyn on Thursday night, calling the treatment “unusual”.
If the government secures a conviction on these terrorism and explosives counts, al-Saadi faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison.
