Iraqi man allegedly behind numerous terror attacks on Jews in Canada, U.S. and Europe

Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi accused of being an operative of Kata'ib Hizballah and Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps

Published May 16, 2026  •  3 minute read

An undated photo posted to Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi's social media allegedly shows him with Qasem Soleimani (left), the longtime commander of the IRGC-QF (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force) who was killed during a U.S. airstrike in or about 2020, at a military-related facility. Photo by Handout /U.S. Department of Justice

An Iraqi national arrested overseas faces terrorism-related charges in the United States for allegedly plotting more than a dozen attacks targeting Jews in Europe and North America – including two in Toronto – in support of Iran-backed terrorist organizations.

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The U.S. Justice Department claims in a complaint unsealed Friday in federal court in Manhattan that Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi is an operative of Kata’ib Hizballah and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, designated a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S. and Canada, who was involved in nearly 20 attacks and attempted attacks targeting ambulances, schools and synagogues since the war on Iran began Feb. 28.

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One of the synagogue attacks the 32-year-old allegedly coordinated was in Toronto, but the place of worship has not been specifically named and there have been many such attacks in the city.

View at burnt ambulances in a car park at Golders Green in London, Monday, March 23, 2026 after an apparent arson attack on four vehicles belonging to a Jewish ambulance service, Hatzola Northwest. Photo by Alberto Pezzali /AP

Al-Saadi also allegedly planned the attack that saw the U.S. consulate in Toronto shot up on March 10. There were people inside the University Ave. building at the time, but nobody was injured.

Officials in Toronto and Canada did not immediately comment on the arrest.

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However, U.S. acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the charges against the accused “terrorist commander” demonstrate that “American law enforcement will never let such evil go unchecked and will use all tools to disrupt and dismantle foreign terrorist organizations and their leaders.”

“As alleged in the complaint, Al-Saadi directed and urged others to attack U.S. and Israeli interests and to kill Americans and Jews in the U.S. and abroad, and in doing so advance the terrorist goals of Kata’ib Hizballah and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps,” he claimed in a statement released Friday.

FBI Director Kash Patel described the arrest as “a righteous mission executed brilliantly by our agents, investigators, CIRG (Critical Incident Response Group) tactical units and interagency partners.”

Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi allegedly posted an image on social media of the U.S. capitol in rubble projected against the faces of Qasem Soleimani, the longtime commander of the IRGC-QF, and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the former leader of Kata’ib Hizballah, both of whom were killed in a U.S. drone strike at Baghdad International Airport in January 2020. Photo by Handout /U.S. Department of Justice

The complaint against Al-Saadi alleges he “worked closely with Qasem Soleimani,” the longtime IRGC-QF commander killed in a U.S. drone strike at Baghdad International Airport in January 2020, as well as Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the leader of Kata’ib Hizballah who was killed in the same airstrike.

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The DOJ alleges Al-Saadi has urged on others to attack and kill Americans, including in retribution for Soleimani’s and al-Muhandis’s deaths, on social media.

“On or about July 2, 2020, for example, Al-Saadi published on one of his social media accounts the following image of the U.S. capitol in rubbles projected against the faces of Soleimani and al-Muhandis, with the text, ‘Our revenge for the martyred leaders is ongoing. No negotiations with the occupier,'” the DOJ alleged in its statement.

Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi allegedly posted video on social media of an arson attack against a synagogue in Skopje, North Macedonia on or about April 12, 2026, that included a red target symbol and surveillance footage of the synagogue on fire, as depicted in a screenshot seen here with the logo of Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya in the upper right corner of the image. Photo by Handout /U.S. Department of Justice

Al-Saadi allegedly called for ‘warriors of Islam’ to engage in ‘jihad’

“In recent months, Al-Saadi has also allegedly directed and urged others to attack U.S. and Israeli interests, including by killing Americans and Jews, to further the terrorist goals of Kata’ib Hizballah and the IRGC,” the DOJ claimed.

Federal officials also claim Al-Saadi has posted videos of attacks on social media and called for “warriors of Islam” to engage in “jihad.”

Al-Saadi is accused of being behind attacks such as one involving explosives at an American bank in Amsterdam, Netherlands on or about March 15; another that was an arson at a synagogue in Skopje, North Macedonia on or about April 12; and a stabbing that left two Jewish men – one a dual U.S.-British citizen –seriously injured in London, England, on or about April 29.

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A forensic police officer photographs the scene where two Jewish men were stabbed in the Golders Green area of London, England on April 29, 2026. Photo by Carl Court /Getty Images

Allegedly offered to hire undercover FBI agent to carry out attacks

But it was his alleged attempts in April and May to hire someone he reportedly believed to be a Mexican cartel member, who turned out to be an undercover FBI agent, to carry out attacks at a prominent synagogue in New York City, and two Jewish institutions in Los Angeles and Scottsdale, Ariz., for US$10,000 that led to his arrest.

Al-Saadi faces an assortment of related charges that have not yet been tested in court.

He was not required to enter a plea at his first court appearance and he remains in custody – held in solitary confinement – awaiting his next court date.

His lawyer, Andrew Dalack, reportedly told media after the hearing that Al-Saadi was arrested in Turkey, handed over to U.S. authorities and transported to New York.

“Our position states that he’s a political prisoner and a prisoner of war,” Dalack told reporters. “He’s being punished for a perceived alleged connection with the late Qasem Soleimani.”

– With files from Joe Warmington and The Associated Press

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@sundoucette

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