The United States Department of Justice has announced terrorism-related charges against an Iraqi national accused of helping Iran-backed militias plan attacks targeting American and allied interests in the United States and Europe.

According to federal prosecutors, Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi was arrested overseas and transferred into U.S. custody to face six terrorism-related counts. Authorities allege he was a senior member of Kata’ib Hezbollah, a militia group designated by the United States as a foreign terrorist organization.

U.S. officials claim Al-Saadi coordinated or supported nearly 20 attacks and attempted attacks across Europe and the United States, including alleged efforts to target Americans and Jewish civilians on U.S. soil.

Federal investigators say the accused worked in connection with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and allegedly helped direct attacks involving bombings, arson, and assaults targeting U.S. and Israeli-linked sites.

Reports indicate that Al-Saadi was detained in Turkey before being extradited to the United States, where he appeared before a federal judge in Manhattan and was ordered held pending trial.

Prosecutors allege the suspect attempted to organize attacks on Jewish institutions and American-linked targets in multiple cities, including New York, Los Angeles, and parts of Europe.

Defense attorney Andrew Dalack urged against a “rush to judgment” and raised concerns about his client’s confinement conditions, including reported solitary detention.

The case comes amid heightened tensions involving Iran-backed militias following ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iranian-aligned groups in the Middle East. American officials have recently increased scrutiny of militia networks accused of targeting U.S. personnel and allies abroad.

If convicted on the terrorism charges, Al-Saadi could face life in prison.