Man admits targeting Iraqi MP Ahmed Al Asadi’s Sydney-based family

A man has admitted to terrorising the Sydney-based family of a prominent Iraqi politician after he was promised money as part of an international extortion plot.

A man has admitted to terrorising the Sydney-based family of a prominent Iraqi politician after he was promised lots of money as part of an international plot to extort up to $10 million from the MP.

Ahmed Al Asadi, 50, a member of Iraq’s parliament who was involved in the military campaign against IS, spends most of the year overseas but his wife has been living in a Chester Hill home.

In the last two years the home of Al Asadi – who used to be a cabbie in Sydney – has been targeted in a violent home invasion, a drive-by shooting, a brick attack and also an arson attack.

Ahmed Al Asadi is an Iraqi politician whose family lives in Sydney. He used to work as a cabbie in the NSW capital.

Police allege Al Asadi was the victim of a $10 million extortion plot.

Police allege a person in Canada demanded $10 million from Al Asadi via social media before they recruited Sydney men Zigalo Sogora, 23, and Linous Touto, 25, to target the politician’s family in the hope the payment would be made.

Sogora is now facing possible jail time after pleading guilty to destroying property and participating in a criminal group over his roles in the brick and arson attacks.

A police fact sheet states Sogora, of Kings Langley, jumped a gate and threw a brick through a front window while Al Asadi’s wife was inside in February 2021.

The family members phoned police immediately as they thought it was another shooting.

Sogora also filmed Touto allegedly spraying petrol near the front door of the Al Asadi home before causing a “significant” flash fire about a week later, according to the documents.

Touto, of Blacktown, allegedly left a note that read: “This letter to (Al Asasdi) and his wife … We have warned you more than once. Your husband have to contact us as soon as possible before it is late. We are watching you everywhere … last warning”.

Touto has pleaded guilty to damaging property by fire but not guilty to a raft of other offences such as sending a document threatening death.

He remains before the courts.

Sydney men Zigalo Sogora, 23, and Linous Touto, 25, were arrested earlier this year.

Police allege Sogora and Touto were recruited by a person in Canada.

Neither Sogora or Touto have been charged over the December 2019 home invasion or the August 2020 drive-by shooting.

The person in Canada – who has since been arrested overseas – contacted Al Asadi on his official government Instagram account following the drive-by shooting and threatened to harm his family while demanding the $10 million, according to the fact sheet.

Following his arrest Sogora told police he was motivated by financial gain and had been promised a large sum of money had his actions successfully forced the Al Asadis to bow to the demands from the person in Canada.

Sogora will be sentenced at Liverpool Local Court next week.

He was initially facing more charges such as demanding property by force in company but these were later dismissed in court.