Man accused of plotting New York synagogue attack faces terrorism charges

A federal terrorism case in Manhattan now centers on more than one alleged target: prosecutors say Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi tried to build a broader campaign against Jewish institutions in the United States, with a New York City synagogue at the center of the plot.

Al-Saadi was expected to appear in Manhattan federal court later Friday on charges including conspiracy to provide material support to terrorist groups and conspiracy to bomb a place of public use. Prosecutors identified him as an Iraqi national and a high-level member of the Iran-backed Kata’ib Hizballah militia, with ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Hezbollah.

The criminal complaint described a plan that moved well beyond online rhetoric. Prosecutors said al-Saadi offered thousands of dollars to someone he believed would carry out the synagogue attack, only to be dealing with an undercover law-enforcement officer. The complaint also said he provided photos and maps of Jewish centers in Los Angeles and Scottsdale, Arizona, that he planned to target, and that he sought to attack a New York City synagogue last month.

Those allegations are central to the government’s case because they suggest intent, resources and target selection, not just extremist sympathy. The complaint said al-Saadi coordinated at least 18 terrorist attacks in Europe and two more in Canada, and that he directed and urged others to attack U.S. and Israeli interests in retaliation for the war involving Iran. Prosecutors are portraying him as a figure with both the organizational reach and the operational mindset to move between regions and recruit others.

The case lands in a period of intense pressure on Jewish institutions. The Anti-Defamation League says at least 21 physical attacks have hit synagogues in the United States over the past decade and more than 60 have been recorded worldwide, with attacks accelerating sharply since the Hamas-led October 7, 2023 assaults on Israel. That backdrop has made synagogues, community centers and related gathering places a sustained focus for counterterrorism investigators.

It also follows another major federal case in New York. In April 2026, Muhammad Shahzeb Khan pleaded guilty to plotting an ISIS-inspired mass shooting at a prominent Jewish center in Brooklyn timed to the anniversary of the October 7 attacks. Together, the cases show how law enforcement has been working to detect plots before they reach a weapon, a bombing, or a crowded sanctuary.