In a stunning development, U.S. prosecutors have formally connected an Iraqi national, already facing serious terrorism charges, to the harrowing March Toronto consulate shooting incident. This assertion paints a chilling picture, suggesting the brazen attack in downtown Toronto was but one piece in a far larger, internationally coordinated scheme.
Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi, who recently appeared in a New York courtroom, is alleged to be a senior operative within both Kata’ib Hizballah and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. According to documents unsealed by the U.S. Department of Justice, Al-Saadi and his associates purportedly masterminded nearly two dozen terror attacks across Europe, alongside at least two significant incidents in Canada.
Unraveling the Toronto Consulate Shooting Connection
Canadian authorities had promptly designated the consulate incident as a national security matter, triggering extensive investigations by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Now, U.S. court filings specifically cite the March 10, 2026, shooting outside the U.S. consulate in Toronto. Police reports from the time detailed two suspects emerging from a white Honda CR-V, firing multiple rounds at the building, then vanishing into the night. Miraculously, no injuries were reported, though shell casings and property damage confirmed the assault’s gravity.
FBI investigators, in their sworn affidavits, present a disturbing narrative. They allege Al-Saadi discussed the Canadian attacks during intercepted communications with a confidential source. In these conversations, he purportedly affirmed that “our people” were indeed responsible for attacks targeting “the consulate and the Knesset” in Canada. This chilling reference, investigators clarify, points directly to the Toronto consulate shooting and a separate, equally concerning attack on a Canadian synagogue.
The accusations deepen, with prosecutors contending Al-Saadi also boasted of “running multiple teams” and actively sought assistance to execute further attacks across both Canada and the United States. He allegedly elaborated on methods for compensating operatives involved in North American operations, stating, “In Europe, we have our guys; even in America, for example the other day, and in Canada we have our guys,” during a recorded call on April 1.
However, Al-Saadi’s defence attorney, Andrew Dallek, vehemently maintains his client is the victim of a “political prosecution.” Speaking outside the New York courtroom Friday, Dallek asserted his client should be afforded prisoner-of-war status. He also raised serious questions regarding the legality of Al-Saadi’s arrest in Turkey and subsequent transfer to U.S. custody, implying a lack of proper extradition proceedings.
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