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October 12, 2011

U.S. Accuses Iran Agents of Plot to Assassinate Saudi Ambassador 
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The Obama administration has accused Iranian government agents of
plotting to assassinate the Saudi ambassador in the United States. One
of the alleged agents is a member of Iran's special foreign actions unit
known as the Quds Force. U.S. Department of Justice officials say the
men tried to hire a purported member of a Mexican drug cartel to carry
out the assassination with a bomb attack while the ambassador, Adel
al-Jubeir, dined at his favorite restaurant in Washington, D.C. On
Tuesday, Attorney General Eric Holder unveiled the indictments against
two suspects charged in a New York federal court.

Attorney General Eric Holder: "The complaint alleges that this
conspiracy was conceived, was sponsored and was directed from Iran and
constitutes a flagrant violation of U.S. and international law,
including a convention which explicitly protects diplomats from being
harmed. In addition to holding these individual conspirators accountable
for their alleged role in this plot, the United States is committed to
holding Iran responsible for its action. Arbabsiar and Shakuri are
charged with conspiracy to murder a foreign official, conspiracy to use
a weapon of mass destruction and conspiracy to commit an act of
international terrorism among other charges."

The Iranian government has rejected the allegations, calling them a
"childish, amateur game."



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