Iraqi national charged with plans to attack US Jewish sites including LA, DOJ says

LOS ANGELES - Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi is an Iraqi national accused of plotting at least 18 terror attacks in Europe, who also allegedly had his eyes set on the U.S.

Prosecutors claim Al-Saadi planned to kill Americans and Jews by attacking Jewish Centers in places like Los Angeles, Scottsdale, Arizona and a synagogue in New York City.

"He's very well-connected," said national security analyst and Retired Marine Corps Intelligence Officer, Hal Kempfer.

Kempfer points out that Al-Saadi is no low-level figure and could potentially provide critical intelligence.

He is pictured with Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani, who was killed in strikes ordered by President Donald Trump in 2020.

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"He would be a treasure trove of intelligence and information and connections, not just in the US but all over the world and all over Europe," said Kempfer. "Because when you look at the number of operations he was involved in, he must have been communicating, talking, coordinating with a lot of different people and a lot of different entities, and he could potentially unravel or reveal a lot of plots."

Al-Saadi, who is also accused of being involved in two recent attacks in Canada, is charged with coordinating terror attacks that aim to stop the US and Israeli war in Iran.

Prosecutors say the Iraqi national paid thousands of dollars in cryptocurrency to a person he believed was a member of the Mexican cartel. 

Turns out it was an undercover FBI agent.