Alleged Terror Mastermind Continued Operations From Jail, US Claims

A senior pro-Iranian terror figure, identified as Mohamed Baqer al-Saadi, allegedly continued to manage his terror network and plan attacks even after his arrest and extradition to the United States. Al-Saadi, a 32-year-old Iraqi national, is accused by U.S. authorities of operating a vast terror network in Europe, "Haraka Atzhab Al-Yamin Al-Islamiya," which is suspected of being a "shadow organization" for Iran's Revolutionary Guards. This group has been linked to nearly 20 attacks across Europe in less than three months, including arson and attacks targeting Jewish and Israeli sites. In London alone, the organization is connected to six arson attacks in March and April, including against Jewish ambulances and synagogues.

Al-Saadi was arrested in Turkey in May and extradited to the U.S., where he faces eight terror-related charges. U.S. prosecutors allege that he used encrypted phone calls with family members to pass messages to his operatives, employing coded language for instructions and ordering large sums of money to be transferred to unknown individuals. He is also suspected of planning a drone attack against the Israeli embassy and claimed responsibility for stabbing two Jews in London in April. U.S. authorities further accuse him of planning an attack to murder Jews in synagogues in the United States.

Despite his detention, U.S. authorities claim al-Saadi attempted to recruit more individuals for terror operations and direct network activities from jail. Investigators point to a July phone call where he inquired about a senior Hezbollah commander and discussed "work" for additional people, using coded language. He also allegedly instructed his family to transfer over $1 million in Iraqi dinars to unidentified recipients, believed to be related to his efforts to maintain the network. In another intercepted call, references to a gun led investigators to believe he was still planning violent acts.

Al-Saadi is also accused of disseminating propaganda videos to encourage violent ideology and psychological warfare, with one video garnering over 96,000 views. His defense attorneys, however, dispute the U.S. interpretation of his calls, calling the accusations "speculation, misunderstandings, and exaggerations." They claim the gun reference was a "completely innocent" joke and that family members are not spreading terror propaganda but trying to publicize his case and detention conditions.

Legal battles are also ongoing regarding al-Saadi's detention conditions, which U.S. authorities describe as necessary to prevent further terror activity. His lawyers argue these conditions, including near-total isolation, violate his rights under the constitution and the Geneva Convention, calling them "inhumane." Al-Saadi himself has complained of being "illegally kidnapped" and lacking Arabic reading materials and proper kosher-halal food. His trial is expected to begin next summer.