3 charged in Iranian-backed ‘campaign of terror’ targeting nearly 20 sites in US, Europe

article The picture below, released by the DOJ, from in or about February 2024, shows AL-SAADI in front of an array of machineguns in a conference room with a map of the United States on the wall next to a list of "legitimate targets" (redacted here) identif Expand The Brief Three foreign nationals face terrorism-related charges stemming from attacks or planned attacks on targets in the U.S. and Europe. The Department of Justice announced the new charges Tuesday in a superseding indictment against the suspects. One of the suspected targets was a U.S.-run RAF base in England. Three foreign nationals, one of whom is already in custody, were charged with plotting nearly 20 terrorist attacks that targeted locations in the U.S. and Europe and were backed by groups linked to Iran. Big picture view: The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York announced the superseding indictments against the three suspects. They are accused of working with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Kata’ib Hizballah, groups designated by the U.S. as foreign terrorist organizations. What they're saying: "This eight-count indictment shows the determination of Iran to commit terrorist attacks in Europe and the U.S., including one plot that was recently prevented at RAF Fairford, a British Royal Air Force Base where American forces were stationed," said FBI Director Kash Patel. RELATED: US Army member accused of spying for Russia The suspected terrorists The Justice Department identified the individuals as Mohammad Baqar Saad Dawood Al-Saadi, who is a citizen of Iran and Iraq, Mohsen Mohajeri, an Iranian citizen, and Mohammed Ali Al-Hassani, an Iraqi national. The DOJ noted that Al-Saadi was arrested overseas a little more than six months ago and has since been transferred to the U.S. The three men are accused of plotting multiple European terrorist attacks as part of a front group for Kata’ib Hizballah identified as the Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya. The DOJ indicated that the front group claimed credit for approximately 18 attacks in Europe, seven of which happened in the U.S. Timeline: The DOJ statement described the suspects’ alleged involvement in the planned terror attack at the RAF’s Fairford air base, which is run by the U.S. Air Force. According to prosecutors, Al-Hassani paid associates to begin preparatory activities for the attack at the base that included getting vans and fuel, as well as researching chemical accelerants. That happened sometime before the end of August, the DOJ indicated, and on Sept. 26, Al-Hassani had individuals drive three vans to Fairford, at least two of which were stopped by roadblocks. The following day UK authorities recovered all three vans, foiling the attack. Prosecutors added that, while in jail, Al-Saadi had been in contact with members of his immediate family in Iraq and tried using those calls to pass coded messages to the other defendants. On one of the calls, he allegedly asked his sister, "what are they doing about all our old work?" and was told that "it isn’t canceled." What they're saying: "As alleged, these defendants helped orchestrate a campaign of terror on behalf of terrorist organizations affiliated with Iran that targeted Jewish communities in Europe and the United States, and the British military base, RAF Fairford, housing American service members," said U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald. What's next: The planned attack prompted the military to pull its bombers from the Fairford base and redeploy them to the U.S. The charges All three suspects face six charges that include providing support for terrorist activities and conspiring to bomb a place of public use, which could result in a life sentence. Al-Saadi faces two more charges of attempting to commit terrorism across national boundaries and attempting to destroy property with fire or an explosive. Iran War World