The US government said on Monday it had arrested a senior member of an Iran-backed Iraqi militia, accusing him of plotting and carrying out attacks across Europe and in the United States.What happened: The US Justice Department said Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi was charged with six terrorism-related offenses and was involved in nearly 20 attacks and attempted attacks. He was arrested in an unspecified foreign country, transferred to US custody, and brought to the United States, where he appeared in a New York court on Friday, the department said in a statement.US media outlets including CNN and ABC reported that Saadi was arrested in Turkey. The Justice Department described Saadi, 32, as a senior member of Kataib Hezbollah, one of the most prominent Iran-backed militias in Iraq, which is directly supported by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). He and his associates allegedly planned, coordinated, and claimed responsibility for at least 18 terrorist attacks in Europe and two in Canada in recent months, including the attempted bombing of a Bank of New York Mellon branch in the Netherlands.The department said Saadi acted in the name of Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya (HAYI), a mysterious pro-Iran group that has claimed dozens of attacks in Europe since the start of the Iran war, many of them targeting the Jewish community on the continent. The department described HAYI as a “component” of Kataib Hezbollah. Saadi allegedly plotted in April and May to target Jewish institutions in New York, California and Arizona. He spoke to an undercover law enforcement officer about these plans, the department said.The US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York posted images from Saadi’s social media showing him with slain IRGC Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani.Alleged Terrorist Arrested: “For years, Al-Saadi sought to disrupt American society through intimidation and violence. In a righteous and just contrast, his prosecution will highlight the best of our country,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. @TheJusticeDept @FBI @FBIWFO… pic.twitter.com/yl272z7Vyx— US Attorney SDNY (@SDNYnews) May 15, 2026