US charges Iraqi with plots to target Jews in cities from London to LA
BBC • • general
Key Points:
- Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi, an Iraqi militia commander, was arrested for allegedly planning over a dozen terrorist attacks in North America and Europe as retaliation for the Iran war.
- Prosecutors accuse him of targeting US and Israeli interests, including plotting attacks on synagogues in New York City, Los Angeles, and Scottsdale, and orchestrating attacks in multiple European cities since March.
- Saadi allegedly recruited an undercover agent to target a major US synagogue and sought to hire someone to carry out bombing operations, providing detailed photos and maps of Jewish centers.
- He faces six terrorism-related charges and was extradited from Turkey to the US, where he remains detained pending trial; his lawyer claims he is a prisoner of war subjected to political prosecution.
- The attacks attributed to Saadi include bombings and arson at synagogues and Jewish institutions across Europe, highlighting a coordinated campaign against Jewish and US targets.