An Iranian militia chief accused of coordinating a string of antisemitic attacks in Britain has continued to plot terror attacks from behind bars, according to US authorities.
uncertain
chief → accuse → authorities
Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi is accused of orchestrating at least 18 terror attacks across Europe and North America since February.
asserted
Saadi → accuse → February
He is said to have been the mastermind behind the firebombing of a synagogue in London and the stabbing of two Jewish men in Golders Green.
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He → say → Green
Al-Saadi was arrested in Turkey before being transferred to the US, where authorities now claim he is trying to enlist further proxies amid fears of further attacks.
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he → arrest → attacks
The authorities have warned that the 32-year-old is using 'coded language' in telephone calls from behind bars to relay orders and has directed more than $1million in money transfers.
The FBI has also accused al-Saadi of greenlighting propaganda videos to inspire other dissidents.
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FBI → use → dissidents
Al-Saadi, a dual citizen of Iran and Iraq, faces eight charges of terrorism related to his alleged activities as an operative of the Iraqi militia group Kataib Hezbollah and Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
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Saadi → face → group
Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi, accused of planning an attack on a synagogue, appears in federal court in Manhattan
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Saadi → accuse → Manhattan
Al-Saadi is also charged with conspiracy to provide material support to Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya (Hayi), another Iran-backed Iraqi Shia militant group, said to be behind nearly 20 attacks across Europe in less than three months.
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Saadi → charge → months
All three groups have been designated by the US government as foreign terrorist organisations.
He is also accused of overseeing a plot to kill Jews at synagogues in America.
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He → designate → America
Al-Saadi told FBI agents he was a 'leader of the resistance', which included the IRGC and its proxies.
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which → tell → IRGC
The suspect is expected to face trial next summer.
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suspect → expect → trial
While in detention, the FBI claimed that al-Saadi was using telephone calls to communicate with Iranian proxy groups, The Times reported.
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Times → claim → groups
During a FaceTime call with a woman thought to be his mother, al-Saadi was heard saying: 'we shall not care whether we fall upon death or death falls upon us as long as we are on the path of truth.'
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we → think → truth
The same quote later appeared on social media accounts known to share IRGC propaganda and was seen more than 96,000 times.
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quote → appear → propaganda
In another call with his family in July, he was heard asking about another high-level member of the Kata’ib Hezbollah militia group.
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he → hear → group
He also allegedly ordered his family to transfer more than $1million to unknown individuals.
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He → order → individuals
One phone call was cut short by the FBI after they heard references to a gun and al-Saadi saying 'give him money so we can do it'.
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we → cut → it
The Department of Justice said they were concerned al-Saadi could be using the calls to plot even more terror attacks in Europe or North America.
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Saadi → say → Europe
Al-Saadi has complained about his 'illegal capture' and his subsequent detention, which involves near-solitary confinement and restricted contact with family.
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which → complain → family
Authorities say the measures are necessary to stop him from engaging in terrorism.
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measures → say → terrorism
He also complained about the quality of the halal food in jail and his lack of Arabic reading materials.
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He → complain → materials
Federal Defenders of New York, his lawyers, said: 'By keeping Mr al-Saadi in extreme solitary confinement and aggressively curtailing his access to information, the government is violating his rights under the constitution and the third Geneva Convention.
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government → say → constitution
We will continue to vigorously challenge these inhumane conditions.'
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We → continue → conditions
Al-Saadi's defence lawyers claim that he was joking with his sister when he referenced the gun, saying his brother-in-law was being forced into a shotgun wedding.
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law → claim → wedding
They argued he should be treated as a prisoner of war rather than a criminal detainee.
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he → argue → detainee
Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi, right, with Qasem Soleimani, former commander of the Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' Quds Force
Al-Saadi was captured in Turkey through phone calls with an FBI informant who he believed was a fellow jihadist.
He provided the law enforcement officer with photos and maps of Jewish centres in Los Angeles and Scottsdale, Arizona, that he planned to target.
The informant connected him to someone he claimed was a Mexican cartel member and gun for hire who could carry out bombings of Jewish targets for money.
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who → capture → money
He offered the FBI agent, posing as a cartel member, $100,000 to attack a synagogue and told him the attack should be recorded.
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attack → offer → him
FBI Director Kash Patel described Al-Saadi as a 'high-value target responsible for mass global terrorism' and said his arrest was the product of 'a righteous mission executed brilliantly' by the agency's agents and law enforcement partners.
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arrest → describe → agents
In his statement, Patel thanked US Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack, calling him 'instrumental in bringing this successful mission home to the United States'.
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Patel → thank → States
His lawyers claim Al-Saadi is being persecuted for his relationship with former IRGC leader Qasem Soleimani.
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Saadi → claim → Soleimani
Soleimani was killed by the US in a drone strike in Baghdad on President Trump's orders.
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Soleimani → kill → orders
Al-Saadi had a picture with the former IRGC leader on his social media and had previously promised to avenge his death.
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Saadi → have → death
In 2021, he wrote: 'An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.
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he → write → tooth
Al-Saadi allegedly posted claims of responsibility for attacks on Snapchat and Telegram in the name of Hayi.
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Saadi → post → Hayi
The terror group claimed responsibility for a wave of crimes across the west as they unfolded, but officials believe Hayi was 'designed to carry out and further the terrorist goals of Kata'ib Hezbollah, and the IRGC'.
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Hayi → claim → Hezbollah
Hayi claimed responsibility for arson attacks including an Israeli restaurant in Munich and a synagogue in Skopje, Macedonia.
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Hayi → claim → Skopje
In the UK, a drone with the group's logo was flown towards the Israeli embassy in London.
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drone → fly → London
Kenton United Synagogue in Harrow, northwest London, was firebombed in April.
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Synagogue → firebomb → April
The Metropolitan Police arrested a 17-year-old boy and a 19-year-old man in connection with the attack.
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Police → arrest → attack
Counter-terror police began investigating whether Iranian proxies were behind the attacks.
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proxies → begin → attacks
…and 6 more, not listed.
The Aporia
