Federal prosecutors charged an Iranian-backed militia commander with plotting to attack a Manhattan synagogue in a scheme aimed squarely at New York City's Jewish community.
Police Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch delivered the assessment after authorities announced the arrest of Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi on May 15, 2026. The commander had organized at least 20 attacks against U.S. and Israeli interests in Europe and Canada since late February 2026, prosecutors said, and had also drawn up plans for strikes in Los Angeles.
Al-Saadi was detained in Turkey and turned over to U.S. officials. He appeared in Manhattan federal court the same day without entering a plea.
"The commander ... was targeting the heart of our Jewish community," Police Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch stated during remarks at Temple Emanu-El. Her words underscored the direct threat the plot posed to one of the city's most prominent Jewish institutions and the surrounding neighborhood.
Prosecutors described the operation as part of a broader campaign directed by the militia commander. The charges detail surveillance and planning steps focused on the Manhattan synagogue, including coordination with operatives abroad. Authorities did not release further operational details to avoid compromising ongoing investigations into the European and Canadian incidents.
The arrest marks the latest development in a string of cases involving Iranian-linked actors targeting Jewish and Israeli sites in the West. Federal agents have tracked al-Saadi's movements for months, according to people familiar with the probe. His transfer from Turkish custody followed diplomatic coordination between Washington and Ankara.
Tisch emphasized that the NYPD had increased patrols around synagogues and other Jewish institutions in the immediate aftermath of the charges. She credited close cooperation with federal partners for preventing the plot from advancing further. Community leaders at Temple Emanu-El and nearby congregations expressed relief that the scheme had been disrupted before any harm occurred.
Al-Saadi's case is expected to proceed in federal court in Manhattan. Prosecutors have not indicated whether additional charges or co-defendants will be announced. The investigation continues into the 20 prior attacks attributed to the militia he commanded.
