Suspect in Liège Synagogue Attack Arrested in Turkey
A 32-year-old Iraqi national suspected of orchestrating the bombing of the Liège synagogue and directing a coordinated wave of terror attacks across Europe has been arrested in Turkey and transferred to US custody, federal authorities announced on Friday. Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi, an alleged senior commander of the Iran-backed militia Kataib Hezbollah, appeared in a Manhattan federal court and faces six terrorism-related charges.
A Coordinated International Campaign
According to the US Justice Department, al-Saadi allegedly directed at least 18 terrorist attacks in Europe and two in Canada targeting synagogues, Jewish schools, community centres, and American financial institutions. The campaign began on March 9, 2026, with an explosive device detonated at the front entrance of the synagogue on rue Léon Frédéricq in Liège, Belgium, in the early hours of the morning. The blast damaged the door and windows but caused no injuries.
Belgian Interior Minister Bernard Quintin described the explosion as “a despicable antisemitic act” that directly targeted Belgium’s Jewish community, as AP News reported. The Liège synagogue later reopened on May 3 under very high security, with Belgian military personnel deployed permanently at the site.
The Arrest and Charges
Al-Saadi was arrested in Turkey by Turkish authorities before being handed over to the FBI and transported to the United States. He appeared before US Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn in Manhattan federal court on Friday and was ordered detained pending trial, according to BBC News.
The charges include conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, conspiracy to provide material support for acts of terrorism, conspiracy to bomb a place of public use, and conspiracy to commit terrorist acts. Prosecutors allege al-Saadi acted in retaliation for the US-Iran war and to further the goals of Kataib Hezbollah and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
A Broader Pattern of Attacks
The criminal complaint details a rapid succession of attacks following the Liège bombing. On March 13, an arson attack targeted a synagogue in Rotterdam, Netherlands. The following day, an explosive device was used against a Jewish school in Amsterdam, followed by an attack on the Bank of New York Mellon in the same city on March 15. Further attacks occurred in London, Paris, Munich, and Antwerp throughout late March and April, as RTBF reported.
On April 29, two Jewish men were stabbed in London in an attack claimed by Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya (HAYI), which the US Justice Department describes as a “component” of Kataib Hezbollah.
US Plot Foiled
Al-Saadi also allegedly attempted to recruit an undercover agent — whom he believed was a Mexican cartel member — to target a prominent US synagogue. According to Al-Monitor, he was recorded on a phone call on April 1 asking about hiring someone “to carry out a bombing operation” and provided photos and maps of Jewish centres in Los Angeles and Scottsdale, Arizona.
Defense Raises Due Process Concerns
Andrew Dalack, al-Saadi’s attorney, told The Jerusalem Post that his client is facing a “political prosecution.” Dalack argued that al-Saadi was arrested in Turkey and swiftly transferred to US custody without the opportunity to challenge his detention, raising questions about extraordinary rendition and due process. He also noted that his client is being held in solitary confinement, which he described as “cruel and unnecessary.”
Geopolitical Dimensions
The case highlights ongoing tensions between Iran and Western nations. US Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche stated that al-Saadi “directed and urged others to attack US and Israeli interests and to kill Americans and Jews in the US and abroad, and in doing so advance the terrorist goals of Kata’ib Hizballah and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.”
Al-Saadi allegedly worked closely with Qasem Soleimani, the former commander of the IRGC Quds Force who was killed in a US drone strike in January 2020. The Trump administration has been placing increasing pressure on Iraq to rein in Iran-backed armed groups, with the Rewards for Justice program offering up to $10 million each for information on four pro-Iran militia leaders since April.
What’s Next
Belgian authorities have not yet indicated whether they will seek extradition of al-Saadi, or whether the US prosecution will take precedence. The case raises significant questions about European counterterrorism capabilities and intelligence sharing, given that the Liège synagogue attack — initially investigated as a potential lone-wolf incident — is now understood to be the first operation in a sophisticated, internationally coordinated campaign directed from abroad.