A man accused of orchestrating a series of antisemitic attacks in the United Kingdom allegedly met with Iran's supreme leader just days before the ayatollah was killed, according to US court documents.
FaceTime Attacks Against Jewish Targets
US prosecutors claim that Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi used Apple's FaceTime application to direct multiple fire-bombings targeting Jewish locations in London earlier this year. The indictment, obtained by the Sunday Times, states that Saadi was closely associated with Ali Khamenei and met with him approximately three days before the Iranian military conflict began on February 28, which resulted in Khamenei's death.
Western intelligence officials reportedly consider the claims credible. The US Department of Justice accuses Saadi of plotting at least 18 attacks in the UK and Europe, including attempts to carry out assaults in the United States against a synagogue in New York during March and April.
Recruitment and Arrest
On April 30, Saadi allegedly tried to recruit someone in the US to commit a terrorist attack, but the individual turned out to be an undercover FBI agent posing as a Mexican drug cartel member. Saadi was arrested in Turkey on May 1 and transferred to FBI custody in New York on May 14.
The indictment charges Saadi with eight counts, including conspiracy to provide material support to Kata'ib Hizballah and the IRGC, attempted acts of terrorism, conspiracy to bomb a public place, and financing terrorism. Prosecutors allege he recruited petty criminals to carry out attacks for Iran, paying them in cryptocurrency.
Psychological Warfare Campaign
According to the 35-page indictment, Saadi directed operations from a bunker in Iraq, participating in FaceTime calls with attackers in real time and filming the attacks. He also helped create propaganda videos and discussed the need for psychological warfare with a Kata'ib Hezbollah member.
The group Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya (HAYI) claimed responsibility for setting ambulances ablaze in Golders Green. US prosecutors say HAYI is a front for Kata'ib Hezbollah, a powerful Iraqi militia backed by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. A copy of HAYI's charter was found on Saadi's phone after his capture.
Threat Level Raised
Following a stabbing in Golders Green on April 29, the UK Government raised the terror threat from substantial to severe, meaning an attack is highly likely. The Home Office stated that the threat level had been rising for some time due to increased Islamist and extreme right-wing threats, as well as state-linked physical threats encouraging violence against the Jewish community.
Saadi has asked to be treated as a prisoner of war, according to his US lawyer Andrew Dalack. He allegedly told the FBI he was like a son to former IRGC leader Qasem Soleimani, who was killed in 2020.
