An Iraqi national identified by prosecutors as Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi has been arrested overseas, brought to the United States and charged with six counts related to terrorism, the U.S. Justice Department announced on Friday.
Federal prosecutors contend Al-Saadi was a senior operative in Kata’ib Hezbollah, an armed group described by U.S. officials as Iran-backed, and say he provided material support to a foreign terrorist organization. Court filings presented by the prosecutors allege he coordinated or supported nearly 20 attacks and attempted attacks directed at U.S. interests in Europe and the United States.
Jay Clayton, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, said the alleged campaign included "his efforts to kill on U.S. soil," underscoring the gravity of the charges brought against Al-Saadi.
According to prosecutors, Al-Saadi is accused of directing and encouraging operations targeting U.S. and Israeli objectives, and of participating in a broader campaign tied to Iranian-backed militant groups. The U.S. government and independent experts, prosecutors said, view Kata’ib Hezbollah as operating at the direction of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Officials say Al-Saadi was taken into American custody overseas and transported to the United States. After his arrival he appeared before a magistrate judge and was ordered detained pending trial. Media reports indicate he was detained in Turkey and then handed over to U.S. authorities.
Court documents cited by prosecutors describe a pattern of violence tied to Al-Saadi and his associates that allegedly included bombings, arson and assaults aimed at American interests abroad. The filings also state that discussions took place about possible attacks inside the United States, with prosecutors naming potential targets in New York, California and Arizona.
Defense counsel Andre Dalack declined to discuss the substance of the charges at this stage, saying it was premature to address case details. He urged caution against a rush to judgment and expressed concern about Al-Saadi’s detention conditions, stating that "We’re primarily concerned at the moment with the conditions of his confinement, as we understand he’s being held in solitary confinement, which we think is both cruel and unnecessary."
The charges arrive amid heightened U.S. scrutiny of Iran-backed militias accused of targeting American personnel and allied interests across multiple regions, a focus that prosecutors linked to the ongoing U.S. and Israeli war against Iran. The defendant remains detained as the legal process moves toward trial.