A man facing allegations of orchestrating anti-Semitic attacks in the United Kingdom through FaceTime reportedly had a meeting with Iran’s supreme leader shortly before the leader’s demise.
According to documents from a US court, Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi is said to have used Apple’s FaceTime application to coordinate a series of arson attacks on Jewish locations in London and counterattacks against Western interests.
The indictment obtained by the Sunday Times states, “Saadi had close ties with Khamenei.” It further mentions that Saadi met with Khamenei in Iran around three days before the commencement of the military conflict involving Iran, which resulted in Khamenei’s death on February 28.
Khamenei’s death occurred during US strikes on Iran in February. Sources suggest that the alleged meeting between the accused and the ayatollah shortly before the conflict is credible, as per Western intelligence sources.
US authorities have charged Saadi with planning at least 18 attacks in the UK and Europe. The Department of Justice asserts that Saadi attempted to execute attacks in the US, including targeting a New York synagogue, within the timeframe of March and April this year.
The accusations also state that on April 30, Saadi endeavored to enlist an individual in the US for a terrorist act resulting in harm to people.
Saadi was apprehended the following day.
Prosecutors in the US disclosed that Saadi was arrested in Turkey in May, with reports indicating his arrest on May 1. The arrest followed an alleged recruitment attempt by Saadi, who mistook an undercover FBI agent for a Mexican drug cartel member, as per the indictment.
On May 14, Saadi was handed over to the FBI and transported to New York.
Saadi is facing eight charges according to the indictment, including the recruitment of individuals to conduct attacks for Iran in exchange for cryptocurrency payments.
The document states that following his arrest, Saadi waived his right to an attorney and admitted to having high-level connections to the FBI. He claimed to have had a close relationship with the late IRGC leader Qasem Soleimani, likening it to being “like a son” to him.
His US lawyer, Andrew Dalack, mentioned that Saadi requested to be treated as a “prisoner of war”.
Reports indicate that the
