Iranian terrorist plot foiled!

A plot by the Iranian government to assassinate the Saudi Arabian ambassador to the US has been foiled, according to US officials.

NEW YORK, NY (Catholic Online) - The criminal complaint was filed in federal court in New York on Tuesday and named Manssor Arabisar and Gholam Shakuri as the alleged assassins, both with strong ties to the Iranian government. Fortunately for the ambassador, Arabsiar has been locked up in New York since September. Authorities are searching for Shakuri.

The 21 page document claims the two men with help from Iran, helped to conceive, develop, and coordinate the plot. US Attorney General Eric Holder said in Tuesday's press conference, the plot is "a flagrant violation of US and international law" and that the US would hold Iran accountable.
Iran has a reputation of supporting international terrorism.

Iran has fully rejected what they say are "baseless allegations" against them. And Saudi Arabia referred to the plot as, "a despicable violation of international norms."

The plot was uncovered last spring, when Arabsiar began meeting with an undercover DEA agent in Mexico. The agent was posing as a member of a well-connected, sophisticated international drug trafficking cartel. During these meetings, Arabsiar offered the agent cash for the assassination of Abdel al-Jubeir, the Saudi Arabian ambassador. To prove that his intentions were serious, Arabsiar wired $100,000 to a US bank account in August.

The money transfer was approved by Shakuri, who is a known member of Iran's Quds Force, which is in the elite special operations unit of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.

Arabsiar and Shakuri allegedly intended to use a bomb which would be planted outside a Washington restaurant that the ambassador frequently visited. Naturally such an attack would have certainly killed dozens of other people. In response to that Arabsiar said, "they want that guy done, if the hundred go with him, [f-expletive] them."

According to officials, Arabsiar has already confessed his participation in the plot. Shakuri is thought to be safe in Iran.

The Iranian government-sponsored terrorists, as well as two other Quds officers who are thought to be involved in the plot, have been sanctioned by the US government.

According to the complaint, Arabsiar is a naturalized US citizen with an Iranian passport. He was arrested on September 28 at JFK airport after returning from Mexico. Authorities say that he was read his rights but waved to them and spoke freely with law enforcement. According to the document, he admitted his connection with the plot, and said that he was recruited and paid for by men who he knew were  Iranian special operations officials.

The US government has said it would be taking immediate action against the Iranian government, however they have not specified what those actions would be. They did reassure that this would not lead to military action in Iran. However, significant legal action is expected because the plan was apparently blessed by high officials in the Iranian government.

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