A man accused of orchestrating anti-Semitic attacks in the UK via FaceTime reportedly had a meeting with Iran’s supreme leader shortly before his death.
According to US court documents, Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi allegedly used Apple’s FaceTime application to coordinate fire-bombings targeting Jewish sites in London and retaliatory actions against Western entities.
The indictment obtained by the Sunday Times states that Saadi had a close relationship with Khamenei, the supreme leader of Iran. It is claimed that just three days before Khamenei’s death during the US military conflict in Iran, Saadi met with Khamenei in Iran.
The US authorities have charged Saadi with planning at least 18 attacks across the UK and Europe. The Department of Justice asserts that Saadi also attempted to carry out attacks in the US, including targeting a synagogue in New York.
Saadi was apprehended in Turkey after allegedly trying to recruit an individual he believed was associated with a Mexican drug cartel but was actually an undercover FBI agent. He was transferred to FBI custody in New York on May 14.
Accused of various offenses, Saadi is said to have recruited criminals for attacks in exchange for cryptocurrency. He reportedly confessed to having high-level connections and claimed a close relationship with the late IRGC leader Qasem Soleimani.
Saadi is alleged to have overseen operations from a bunker in Iraq, coordinating attacks as part of a psychological warfare campaign by proxies supporting Iran. It is claimed that he communicated with attackers in real-time via FaceTime and orchestrated propaganda videos of the assaults.
The arrest follows an attack in which Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya (HAYI) claimed responsibility for setting ambulances ablaze in Golders Green. American prosecutors link HAYI to Kata’ib Hezbollah, a powerful Iraqi militia supported by Iran.
Saadi is also accused of instructing an associate to post violent content on HAYI’s social media platforms. His alleged involvement in plotting attacks and making threats has raised concerns about the security situation, prompting a heightened terror threat level in the UK.