An Iraqi national charged with involvement in multiple attacks on American interests in Europe pleaded not guilty in federal court in Manhattan on Monday and interrupted the hearing to protest his innocence, saying he was not a criminal and framing the matter as part of a broader war.
Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi, who is accused of ties to an Iran-backed militia, spoke through an Arabic interpreter after his attorney, Andrew Dalack, entered a plea of not guilty on his behalf to eight criminal counts. Those counts include conspiracy to provide material support to Kata'ib Hezbollah, which U.S. prosecutors say is directed by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
As the court session proceeded, Al-Saadi rose and said, "I am not a criminal." He then added, "I am not guilty and we are in a war situation," again speaking through an interpreter. At one point he gestured toward the bench where U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon and prosecutors sat and said, "Children are being killed by your rockets." He did not identify a specific incident when making that comment.
Courtroom staff reacted promptly. Judge McMahon raised her voice and ordered Al-Saadi to sit. Two U.S. marshals who had been seated behind him moved to the defense table, and Al-Saadi complied and took his seat. He appeared in court wearing a beige prison outfit and was shackled at the feet.
Prosecutors allege Al-Saadi helped plan roughly 18 attacks in Europe in recent months, acknowledging not all of the plots were carried out. They also assert that in March and April he and others planned attacks inside the United States, including a plot targeting a New York synagogue.
Al-Saadi was brought into U.S. custody last month after being detained in Turkey, authorities said. His arrest comes amid increased U.S. scrutiny of militias with backing from Iran that U.S. officials accuse of targeting American personnel and allied interests across multiple regions since the United States and Israel entered into conflict with Iran.
The court proceeding also touched on a separate matter cited during the hearing: a February 28 strike at a girls' school in Iran that Iranian officials say killed more than 175 children and teachers. An initial, internal U.S. military investigation showed U.S. forces were likely responsible for that strike, citing two U.S. officials, according to information presented during the session. The Pentagon has not confirmed any preliminary findings; a Pentagon spokesperson said on Monday that the investigation remained ongoing.
The charges now facing Al-Saadi include conspiracy tied to providing material support to Kata'ib Hezbollah, an organization labeled by U.S. authorities as an Iran-backed militia. Beyond the not guilty plea entered by his lawyer, Al-Saadi's courtroom remarks and the circumstances of his detention underscore the broader tensions driving the prosecution.
The case remains active as proceedings continue in Manhattan federal court and authorities pursue their investigation into the alleged plots and the network prosecutors say organized them.