A US federal court has unsealed charges against Iraqi national Mohammad al-Sadi, accused of plotting attacks on American and Jewish targets in the United States, Europe, and Canada. Prosecutors described him as a senior figure in the Iran-backed militia Kataib Hezbollah. The case has heightened Western concerns that Iran is extending its proxy network beyond the Middle East to strike Western interests. Al-Sadi was reportedly detained in Turkey and extradited to US custody before appearing in a Manhattan court, where he entered no plea.
According to the indictment, al-Sadi was linked to at least 20 planned attacks since late February, following the start of a US-Israeli operation against Iran. The document cites attempted arson at a Belgian synagogue and an attack on a Paris bank building. Investigators claim he coordinated with a front group tied to Kataib Hezbollah. Experts say the group operates closely with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and rarely acts without Tehran’s approval.
The case emerges amid a fragile ceasefire between the US, Israel, and Iran, with stalled mediation efforts and rising global oil prices due to Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.