Attorney General Eric Holder, pictured above, announced earlier today that the United States has dismantled a plot to assassinate Adel al-Jubeir ,the Saudi Arabian ambassador to the US. Mansoor Arbabsiar, a native of Iran and naturalized US citizen was arrested September 29th and formally charged today in the Southern District of New York, along with Golam Shakuri, a member of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guards, Qods Force. The Qods Force comprises members of a special units team with an alleged mission to promote and execute terrorist missions abroad. Shakuri is still at large.
 |
| Saudi Ambassador Adel al-Jubeir |
Holder said that the criminal complaint, "Exposes a deadly plot directed by factions of the Iranian government to assassinate a foreign ambassador on U.S. soil with explosives. Through the diligent and coordinated efforts of our law enforcement and intelligence agencies, we were able to disrupt this plot before anyone was harmed. We will continue to investigate this matter vigorously and bring those who have violated any laws to justice.”
In May, Arbabsiar, 56, contacted someone he believed belonged to an international drug cartel in Mexico to arrange for the murder of al-Jubeir using explosives. Surprise! It was actually a DEA confidential informant who posed as a member of the cartel. After the initial meeting in May, Arbabsiar returned to Mexico in June and July for additional meetings to work out the details of the plot. Federal law enforcement agents monitored and guided the DEA informant and other confidential sources as the plot unfolded. Arbabsiar offered $1.5 million and presented two checks for a down payment of close to $100,000 to seal the deal. After he was arrested, Arbabsiar allegedly told agents that his cousin, whom he believed was a senior member of the Qods Force, had approached him in the early spring of 2011 about recruiting narco-traffickers to kidnap the ambassador. That plan morphed into a plot to blow up a restaurant where al-Jubeir frequently ate that would also kill many bystanders. He seemed unfazed by the possibility of "collateral damage."
Iran has denied any part in the plot. Right! I'm positive that Iran wishes only the best for America and all of the foreign ambassador here.
Ham on Wry emphasizes that the discovery and thwarting of what could have been a catastrophe happened because several agencies cooperated. If only Congress could do the same.
0 comments:
Post a Comment