Iraqi Militia Commander Indicted for Directing UK Air Base Terror Plot From US Prison

A federal grand jury in the United States has indicted Mohammed Baqer al-Saadi, a senior commander of the Iraqi militia Kataib Hezbollah, on charges of orchestrating a terrorist plot against a U.S. Air Force base in the United Kingdom from a New York jail. According to the indictment, al-Saadi used encrypted phone calls with relatives in Iraq to direct the failed attack on RAF Fairford, where American B-1 bombers were stationed.

Prosecutors revealed that al-Saadi coordinated the conspiracy with Mohsen Mohajeri, an operative of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and another Iranian national, Mohammad Ali al-Hasani. The plot involved loading three commercial vehicles with fuel barrels to convert them into improvised explosive devices. Al-Hasani allegedly managed the initial stages of the operation, conducting surveillance on the base, funding the purchase of vehicles and fuel, and maintaining contact with drivers as they approached the facility before British authorities intervened.

The investigation intensified after British police intercepted suspicious vehicles heading toward the base in September, leading to several arrests and subsequent re-arrests as intelligence pointed to Iranian involvement. To counter al-Saadi's continued operational activity behind bars, the U.S. Department of Justice imposed strict communication restrictions, placing him in specialized confinement due to the severe threat he posed.

Court documents also highlight al-Saadi's deep ties to high-ranking Iranian military figures, noting his close relationship with the late Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani and supreme leader Ali Khamenei. Beyond the Fairford plot, al-Saadi faces numerous charges including plotting attacks against a Manhattan synagogue and coordinating extremist operations across Europe.