An Iraqi national accused of orchestrating at least 18 attacks across Europe in retaliation for the U.S. and Israel's war with Iran pleaded not guilty on Monday, proclaiming himself a 'prisoner of war' and denouncing the killing of civilians by American rockets.
Courtroom Drama in Manhattan
Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi, who was finally persuaded to sit down in Manhattan federal court as two marshals approached him at the judge's urging, did not appear to be trying to be disruptive as he commented beyond his response to the charges. One marshal placed a hand on his shoulder to guide him into his seat. The charges allege that Al-Saadi conspired to provide material support to Kata'ib Hizballah, an Iran-backed Iraqi Shia militant group, and Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, both designated by the U.S. as foreign terrorist organizations.
“I'm not guilty in a war situation,” Al-Saadi responded, before adding through an Arabic translator: “I'm a prisoner of war. I'm not a threat. Children and women are being killed by your rockets.”
Judge Colleen McMahon responded firmly: “The defendant will be seated please,” prompting the marshals behind Al-Saadi to move forward to his position.
Defense Claims Government Employment
Al-Saadi's lawyer, Andrew Dalack, told the judge that his client worked for the Iraqi government, though he did not specify the position. Dalack revealed that Al-Saadi was held in an underground Turkish prison for two weeks before being turned over to the FBI. “I'm sure it was unpleasant, to say the least,” the judge remarked. Dalack further noted that Al-Saadi has been held in solitary confinement at a federal lockup in Brooklyn but hopes to communicate with a diplomatic counsel from Iraq and his mother and siblings, although he expects the U.S. government to severely limit his communications.
Last month, when the charges were announced, Dalack told reporters that his client believed he was being persecuted for his relationship with Qasem Soleimani, the Revolutionary Guard leader killed in a U.S. drone strike in 2020.
Charges Include Firebombing, Stabbings, and Synagogue Plot
Among the 18 attacks in Europe, Al-Saadi is charged with the firebombing of a bank in Amsterdam and the stabbing of Jewish men in London. Federal authorities also stated in court papers that he sought to attack a New York City synagogue last month and provided an undercover law enforcement officer with photos and maps of Jewish centers in Los Angeles and Scottsdale, Arizona, that he planned to target.
Al-Saadi is also accused of involvement in two recent attacks in Canada: an attack on a synagogue and a shooting at the U.S. consulate in Toronto in March. U.S. prosecutors allege that he directed and urged others to attack U.S. and Israeli interests, including by killing Americans and Jews. According to court papers, Al-Saadi posted about the attacks on Snapchat and Telegram and discussed them in phone calls recorded by an FBI informant whose help he solicited in planning attacks in the U.S.
