Inside The Plot To Kill Ivanka Trump: Who Is Mohammad Al-Saadi And What Was His Motive?

Last Updated:May 23, 2026, 12:42 IST

Mohammad Al-Saadi, who was arrested last week for allegedly planning multiple attacks across Europe, has now been accused of plotting revenge against the Trump family.

A recently arrested Iraqi militant leader accused of orchestrating terror attacks across Europe is now at the centre of a chilling assassination plot allegedly targeting US President Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka Trump.

According to a report by the New York Post, 32-year-old Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi had made a “pledge" to kill Ivanka Trump in revenge for the 2020 US drone strike that killed Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani.

The report, citing sources familiar with the matter, claimed Al-Saadi had even obtained a blueprint of Ivanka Trump’s Florida residence and had posted threats online suggesting that Trump family members were under surveillance.

The allegations surfaced days after US federal authorities charged Al-Saadi with coordinating and planning at least 18 terrorist attacks across Europe targeting Americans and Jewish institutions.

Who Is Mohammad Al-Saadi?

US prosecutors describe Al-Saadi as a commander associated with Kata’ib Hezbollah, an Iran-backed Iraqi militia designated by Washington as a foreign terrorist organisation. Authorities allege he has been active with the group since at least 2017 and maintained close operational ties with the IRGC.

According to CNN, prosecutors accused Al-Saadi of “direct[ing] and urg[ing] others to attack US and Israeli interests" in retaliation for the ongoing conflict involving Iran and to advance the goals of Kata’ib Hezbollah and the IRGC.

NY Post, citing former Iraqi embassy official Entifadh Qanbar, reported that Al-Saadi was especially close to Qasem Soleimani, the powerful IRGC Quds Force commander killed in a US drone strike ordered by Trump in Baghdad in January 2020.

Qanbar claimed Soleimani had become a father figure to Al-Saadi after the death of his own father, Iranian brigadier general Ahmad Kazemi, in 2006.

“He [Al-Saadi] went around telling people ‘we need to kill Ivanka to burn down the house of Trump the way he burned down our house,’" Qanbar told NY Post.

Why Was Ivanka Trump Allegedly Targeted?

Al-Saadi viewed targeting Ivanka as symbolic revenge against Donald Trump over Soleimani’s killing.

The report claimed Al-Saadi had posted a map showing the enclave in Florida where Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner own a reported $24 million home, alongside a threatening Arabic-language message.

“I say to the Americans look at this picture and know that neither your palaces nor the Secret Service will protect you. We are currently in the stage of surveillance and analysis. I told you, our revenge is a matter of time," the translated message reportedly said.

Ivanka Trump converted to Orthodox Judaism in 2009 before marrying Jared Kushner.

What Attacks Is Al-Saadi Accused Of?

Federal prosecutors allege Al-Saadi coordinated or inspired a series of attacks on Jewish and American-linked targets across Europe between March and April this year.

According to the criminal complaint cited by CNN, the attacks included:

• an explosives attack on a synagogue in Liège, Belgium, on March 9;
• an arson attack on a synagogue in Rotterdam on March 13;
• an explosives attack on a Jewish school in Amsterdam on March 14;
• an explosives attack on the Bank of New York Mellon in Amsterdam on March 15;
• arson attacks against Jewish organisations in London;
• and a stabbing attack in London on April 29 in which two Jewish men were seriously wounded.

US authorities also allege Al-Saadi attempted to coordinate attacks inside the United States, including against a “prominent" synagogue in New York City as well as Jewish centres in Los Angeles and Scottsdale, Arizona.

According to prosecutors, Al-Saadi believed he was communicating with a Mexican cartel member capable of carrying out the New York attack. In reality, investigators say he was speaking to an undercover agent.

The complaint alleges Al-Saadi agreed to pay $10,000 for the attack and insisted it be recorded.

What Are His Links To Iran And Hezbollah?

Elizabeth Tsurkov, a senior fellow at the New Lines Institute who was kidnapped in Baghdad in 2023 and later released in 2025, told NY Post that Al-Saadi continued receiving support and resources through networks linked to Iran-backed groups.

The Post also reported that Al-Saadi allegedly trained in Tehran with the IRGC before later establishing a travel agency that, according to former Iraqi embassy official Qanbar, helped him “connect with terror cells" internationally.

How Was He Arrested?

US officials have not formally detailed the circumstances surrounding Al-Saadi’s arrest.

However, CNN reported that flight records showed a US Justice Department aircraft frequently used for extradition operations travelled to Turkey before returning to the New York area.

Al-Saadi’s lawyer Andrew J. Dalack said his client was arrested in Turkey by Turkish authorities and transferred to US custody.

“My understanding at this point is that he was arrested in Turkey by Turkish authorities, likely at the behest of US authorities, and was handed over to US authorities without an opportunity to contest the legality of his detention or transport to the United States," Dalack said.

He has since appeared in court in New York and was ordered held without bail.

“Our position states that he’s a political prisoner and a prisoner of war," Dalack said after the hearing. “He’s being punished for a perceived alleged connection with the late Qasem Soleimani."

Why Investigators Say Social Media Became Key Evidence

Investigators allege Al-Saadi openly used social media to glorify attacks, threaten targets and praise slain Iranian commanders.

According to court documents cited by CNN, one post from July 2020 allegedly showed an image of the US Capitol in rubble alongside photos of Soleimani and other militant figures, carrying the message: “our revenge for the martyred leaders is ongoing. No negotiations with the occupier."

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