An Iraqi national accused of involvement in multiple attacks against United States interests in Europe has been arrested and transferred to the United States to face six terrorism-related charges, the US Department of Justice announced on Friday.

According to American prosecutors, Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi is a senior member of the Iran-backed armed faction Kataib Hezbollah and is accused of providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization.

US Attorney Jay Clayton said Al-Saadi allegedly coordinated or supported nearly 20 attacks and attempted attacks across Europe and the United States, including alleged efforts “to kill on US soil.”

The United States government and several independent experts have long accused Kataib Hezbollah of operating under the direction of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

The charges come amid increased American scrutiny of Iran-backed armed groups accused of targeting US personnel and allies across several regions during the ongoing tensions and conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran.

US officials stated that Al-Saadi was taken into American custody overseas before being transported to the United States, where he appeared before a magistrate judge and was ordered detained pending trial. According to reports by ABC News, he was detained in Türkiye before being handed over to US authorities.

Prosecutors allege that Al-Saadi directed and encouraged attacks on American and Israeli targets, including alleged plots targeting Americans and Jewish civilians, as part of a wider campaign connected to Iran-backed armed factions.

Defense attorney Andre Dalack declined to comment on the substance of the accusations, stating that it was too early to discuss the details of the case. However, he expressed concern regarding the conditions of Al-Saadi’s detention.

“We're primarily concerned at the moment with the conditions of his confinement, as we understand he's being held in solitary confinement, which we think is both cruel and unnecessary,” Dalack told Reuters.

Court documents cited by US officials describe alleged attacks linked to Al-Saadi and his associates that included bombings, arson attacks and assaults targeting American interests abroad. Officials also claim he discussed potential attacks inside the United States, including possible targets in New York, California and Arizona.