BajaNomad - U.S. Accuses Iran of Assasination Plot With Mexcian Drug Cartels

U.S. Accuses Iran of Assasination Plot With Mexcian Drug Cartels

Gypsy Jan - 10-11-2011 at 06:20 PM

From a press release from the U.S. Department of Justice: http://www.justice.gov/printf/PrintOut2.jsp

"Two Men Charged in Alleged Plot to Assassinate Saudi Arabian Ambassador to the United States

WASHINGTON – Two individuals have been charged in New York for their alleged participation in a plot directed by elements of the Iranian government to murder the Saudi Ambassador to the United States with explosives while the Ambassador was in the United States.

The charges were announced by Attorney General Eric Holder; FBI Director Robert S. Mueller;Lisa Monaco, Assistant Attorney General for National Security; and PreetBharara, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York.

A criminal complaint filed today in the Southern District of New York charges Manssor Arbabsiar, a 56-year-old naturalized U.S. citizen holding both Iranian and U.S. passports, and Gholam Shakuri, an Iran-based member of Iran’s Qods Force, which is a special operations unit of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) that is said to sponsor and promote terrorist activities abroad.

Both defendants are charged with conspiracy to murder a foreign official; conspiracy to engage in foreign travel and use of interstate and foreign commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire; conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction (explosives); and conspiracy to commit an act of international terrorism transcending national boundaries. Arbabsiar is further charged with an additional count of foreign travel and use of interstate and foreign commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire.

Shakuri remains at large. Arbabsiar was arrested on Sept. 29, 2011, at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport and will make his initial appearance today before in federal court in Manhattan. He faces a maximum potential sentence of life in prison if convicted of all the charges.

“ The criminal complaint unsealed today exposes a deadly plot directed by factions of the Iranian government to assassinate a foreign Ambassador on U.S. soil with explosives,” said Attorney General Holder. “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.”

“The investigation leading to today’s charges illustrates both the challenges and complexities of the international threat environment, and our increased ability today to bring together the intelligence and law enforcement resources necessary to better identify and disrupt those threats, regardless of their origin,” said FBI Director Mueller.

“The disruption of this plot is a significant milestone that stems from months of hard work by our law enforcement and intelligence professionals,” said Assistant Attorney General Monaco. “I applaud the many agents, analysts and prosecutors who helped bring about today’s case.”

“As alleged, these defendants were part of a well-funded and pernicious plot that had, as its first priority, the assassination of the Saudi Ambassador to the United States, without care or concern for the mass casualties that would result from their planned attack,” said U.S. Attorney Bharara. “Today’s charges should make crystal clear that we will not let other countries use our soil as their battleground.”

The Alleged Plot

The criminal complaint alleges that, from the spring of 2011 to October 2011, Arbabsiar and his Iran-based co-conspirators, including Shakuri of the Qods Force, have been plotting the murder of the Saudi Ambassador to the United States. In furtherance of this conspiracy, Arbabsiar allegedly met on a number of occasions in Mexico with a DEA confidential source (CS-1) who has posed as an associate of a violent international drug trafficking cartel. According to the complaint, Arbabsiar arranged to hire CS-1 and CS-1’s purported accomplices to murder the Ambassador, and Shakuri and other Iran-based co-conspirators were aware of and approved the plan. With Shakuri’s approval, Arbabsiar has allegedly caused approximately $100,000 to be wired into a bank account in the United States as a down payment to CS-1 for the anticipated killing of the Ambassador, which was to take place in the United States.

According to the criminal complaint, the IRCG is an arm of the Iranian military that is composed of a number of branches, one of which is the Qods Force. The Qods Force conducts sensitive covert operations abroad, including terrorist attacks, assassinations and kidnappings, and is believed to sponsor attacks against Coalition Forces in Iraq. In October 2007, the U.S. Treasury Department designated the Qods Force for providing material support to the Taliban and other terrorist organizations.

The complaint alleges that Arbabsiar met with CS-1 in Mexico on May 24, 2011, where Arbabsiar inquired as to CS-1’s knowledge with respect to explosives and explained that he was interested in, among other things, attacking an embassy of Saudi Arabia. In response, CS-1 allegedly indicated that he was knowledgeable with respect to C-4 explosives. In June and July 2011, the complaint alleges, Arbabsiar returned to Mexico and held additional meetings with CS-1, where Arbabsiar explained that his associates in Iran had discussed a number of violent missions for CS-1 and his associates to perform, including the murder of the Ambassador.

$1.5 Million Fee for Alleged Assassination

In a July 14, 2011, meeting in Mexico, CS-1 allegedly told Arbabsiar that he would need to use four men to carry out the Ambassador’s murder and that his price for carrying out the murder was $1.5 million. Arbabsiar allegedly agreed and stated that the murder of the Ambassador should be handled first, before the execution of other attacks. Arbabsiar also allegedly indicated he and his associates had $100,000 in Iran to pay CS-1 as a first payment toward the assassination and discussed the manner in which that payment would be made.

During the same meeting, Arbabsiar allegedly described to CS-1 his cousin in Iran, who he said had requested that Arbabsiar find someone to carry out the Ambassador’s assassination. According to the complaint, Arbabsiar indicated that his cousin was a “big general” in the Iranian military; that he focuses on matters outside Iran and that he had taken certain unspecified actions related to a bombing in Iraq.

In a July 17, 2011, meeting in Mexico, CS-1 noted to Arbabsiar that one of his workers had already traveled to Washington, D.C., to surveill the Ambassador. CS-1 also raised the possibility of innocent bystander casualties. The complaint alleges that Arbabsiar made it clear that the assassination needed to go forward, despite mass casualties, telling CS-1, “They want that guy [the Ambassador] done [killed], if the hundred go with him flock ‘em.” CS-1 and Arbabsiar allegedly discussed bombing a restaurant in the United States that the Ambassador frequented. When CS-1 noted that others could be killed in the attack, including U.S. senators who dine at the restaurant, Arbabsiar allegedly dismissed these concerns as “no big deal.”

On Aug. 1, and Aug. 9, 2011, with Shakuri’s approval, Arbabsiar allegedly caused two overseas wire transfers totaling approximately $100,000 to be sent to an FBI undercover account as a down payment for CS-1 to carry out the assassination. Later, Arbabsiar allegedly explained to CS-1 that he would provide the remainder of the $1.5 million after the assassination. On Sept. 20, 2011, CS-1 allegedly told Arbabsiar that the operation was ready and requested that Arbabsiar either pay one half of the agreed upon price ($1.5 million) for the murder or that Arbabsiar personally travel to Mexico as collateral for the final payment of the fee. According to the complaint, Arbabsiar agreed to travel to Mexico to guarantee final payment for the murder.

Arrest and Alleged Confession

On or about Sept. 28, 2011, Arbabsiar flew to Mexico. Arbabsiar was refused entry into Mexico by Mexican authorities and, according to Mexican law and international agreements; he was placed on a return flight destined for his last point of departure. On Sept. 29, 2011, Arbabsiar was arrested by federal agents during a flight layover at JFK International Airport in New York. Several hours after his arrest, Arbabsiar was advised of his Mirandarights and he agreed to waive those rights and speak with law enforcement agents. During a series of Mirandizedinterviews, Arbabsiar allegedly confessed to his participation in the murder plot.

According to the complaint, Arbabsiar also admitted to agents that, in connection with this plot, he was recruited, funded and directed by men he understood to be senior officials in Iran’s Qods Force. He allegedly said these Iranian officials were aware of and approved of the use of CS-1 in connection with the plot; as well as payments to CS-1; the means by which the Ambassador would be killed in the United States and the casualties that would likely result.

Arbabsiar allegedly told agents that his cousin, who he had long understood to be a senior member of the Qods Force, had approached him in the early spring of 2011 about recruiting narco-traffickers to kidnap the Ambassador. Arbabsiar told agents that he then met with the CS-1 in Mexico and discussed assassinating the Ambassador. According to the complaint, Arbabsiar said that, afterwards, he met several times in Iran with Shakuri and another senior Qods Force official, where he explained that the plan was to blow up a restaurant in the United States frequented by the Ambassador and that numerous bystanders could be killed, according to the complaint. The plan was allegedly approved by these officials.

In October 2011, according to the complaint, Arbabsiar made phone calls at the direction of law enforcement to Shakuri in Iran that were monitored. During these phone calls, Shakuri allegedly confirmed that Arbabsiar should move forward with the plot to murder the Ambassador and that he should accomplish the task as quickly as possible, stating on Oct. 5, 2011, “[j]ust do it quickly, it’s late . . .” The complaint alleges that Shakuri also told Arbabsiar that he would consult with his superiors about whether they would be willing to pay CS-1 additional money.

This investigation is being conducted by the FBI Houston Division and DEA Houston Division, with assistance from the FBI New York Joint Terrorism Task Force. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Glen Kopp and Edward Kim, of the Terrorism and International Narcotics Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, with assistance from the Counterterrorism Section of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. The Office of International Affairs of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and the U.S. State Department provided substantial assistance. We thank the government of Mexico for its close coordination and collaboration in this matter, and for its role in ensuring that the defendant was safely apprehended.

The charges contained in a criminal complaint are mere allegations and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty."

Woooosh - 10-11-2011 at 06:40 PM

The NBC Nightly news said the man went to Mexico and thought he had hired a cartel hitman, but the "hitman" turned out to be an American CIA agent.

bajabass - 10-12-2011 at 06:02 AM

This reads like a Ludlum novel! Great work by the Feds. Wonder what the WHOLE story is????? :biggrin:

Bajajorge - 10-12-2011 at 09:14 AM

Seems to be some discrepency about who the guy tried to hire as a hitman. Depending on which news you watch, one says a DEA informant, another says a DEA undercover, and another says a CIA guy.

But of course Iran says they had nothing to do with it. Yeah right.

Good work Feds. At least one part of the Obama Admin seems to know what they're doing. Holder is still questionable though.

DENNIS - 10-12-2011 at 09:29 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bajajorge
Seems to be some discrepency about who the guy tried to hire as a hitman. Depending on which news you watch, one says a DEA informant, another says a DEA undercover, and another says a CIA guy.

Typical dissemination of news by the US media as a whole. Pretty soon, they'll be saying the TeaPartyers were involved.

Cypress - 10-12-2011 at 11:02 AM

This deal is a scam to take some of the heat off the US AG Holder and others for that dumb gun operation, "Fast and Furious". These guys have taken sleaze to a whole new level. And they're stupid to boot!! :lol:

Woooosh - 10-12-2011 at 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Cypress
This deal is a scam to take some of the heat off the US AG Holder and others for that dumb gun operation, "Fast and Furious". These guys have taken sleaze to a whole new level. And they're stupid to boot!! :lol:

Not sure about that, but it is an eye-opener for Mexicans who thought the DEA and CIA were not active in Mexico.

[Edited on 10-12-2011 by Woooosh]

Pompano - 10-12-2011 at 11:53 AM

Whooosh....The CIA has always been active in Mexico. I know/knew a character in Mulege (Loma Azul) who is/was a secret undercover CIA operative.

I know because he told me the story every time I ran into him.

Once told me he could take me to a cache of arms hidden in the Mulege prison museum.

On the other hand, we also had some nut cases.

From Fox News

sanquintinsince73 - 10-12-2011 at 04:24 PM

Quote:

Fox News Channel confirms that subpoenas are now out for the Attorney General Eric Holder and members of the Department of Justice in the investigation over the ‘Fast and Furious’ operation. Many members of Congress are claiming that the Attorney General lied as to when he knew of the ‘Fast and Furious’ operation.

The subpoena demands that Holder provide thousands of pages of documents. Judge Napolitano tells Bill Hemmer that the only way the attorney general can decline to produce those documents is to invoke executive privilege, which means admitting he discussed the issue with the president. He says, “So the only way he can avoid complying with the subpoena is to throw his boss under the bus. Don’t look for that to happen.”

JoeJustJoe - 10-13-2011 at 08:45 AM

Many people are laughing at this alleged plot of Iran to commit terrorism on US soil.

So instead of hiring a Iranian James Bond the best Iran could come up with is hiring some loser middle aged used car salesman in Texas to make contact with a Mexican cartel hit man to do the dirty deed on the Saudi Arabia Ambassador Really?

If you ask me this is another so-called terror plot concocted by the FBI who egg on by some crazy the FBI sets up, and of course the Walter Mitty Muslim crazy always crumbles at the end and gives away the so-called terrorist plots, and the FBI saves us again. Of course nobody is really in any danger including the Saudi Ambassador:

Read this article where they break it down a little:
_______________________________________________

The “very scary” Iranian Terror plot

The most difficult challenge in writing about the Iranian Terror Plot unveiled yesterday is to take it seriously enough to analyze it. Iranian Muslims in the Quds Force sending marauding bands of Mexican drug cartel assassins onto sacred American soil to commit Terrorism — against Saudi Arabia and possibly Israel — is what Bill Kristol and John Bolton would feverishly dream up while dropping acid and madly cackling at the possibility that they could get someone to believe it. But since the U.S. Government rolled out its Most Serious Officials with Very Serious Faces to make these accusations, many people (therefore) do believe it; after all, U.S. government accusations = Truth. All Serious people know that. And in the ensuing reaction one finds virtually every dynamic typically shaping discussions of Terrorism and U.S. foreign policy.

To begin with, this episode continues the FBI’s record-setting undefeated streak of heroically saving us from the plots they enable. From all appearances, this is, at best, yet another spectacular “plot” hatched by some hapless loser with delusions of grandeur but without any means to put it into action except with the able assistance of the FBI, which yet again provided it through its own (paid, criminal) sources posing as Terrorist enablers. The Terrorist Mastermind at the center of the plot is a failed used car salesman in Texas with a history of pedestrian money problems.

http://politics.salon.com/2011/10/12/the_very_scary_iranian_...

Hook - 10-13-2011 at 10:03 AM

The headline to this post is misleading. Mexican drug cartels were never involved; apparently were never even approached.

If some crank approaches the Republican National Committee with a plot to, say, assassinate Harry Reid and they turn them in, is the RNC part of the plot? Of course not. The cartels were even further removed than this.

I find myself agreeing with JJJ, here. Which came first; the FBI tempting this guy with a crazy plot or this guy coming up with the idea on his own and JUST HAPPENING TO CONTACT A GOVERNMENT SPOOK, RIGHT OFF THE BAT?

The first scenario seems much more likely.

Washington's newest World Spin

Mulegena - 10-13-2011 at 12:08 PM

"Iran assassination plot: Terrorists join forces with Mexican drug cartels?
It's doubtful, experts say..." http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Americas/Latin-America-Monito...

"The place to watch now is the White House." search http://www.time.com "iran asassination plot", scroll down to third article "Washington Bombing Plot is Out of Character..."

Those who've taken the time to read and think will see this event as what it is, a sham. Its more than simply dissembling the news, its manipulation and creation of an event itself. The Patsy, Mr. Arbabsiar, will take the heat. The "at large" alleged accomplice Mr. Shakuri, is now the reason to pursue. The Mexican government aided and abetted the US.

What this event accomplished and what the average American will take from this is simple yet dangerous: links between terrorism>Iran>Mexico>Fear.

I suspect there will be more such orchestrations.

jakecard - 10-13-2011 at 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Hook
The headline to this post is misleading. Mexican drug cartels were never involved; apparently were never even approached.

If some crank approaches the Republican National Committee with a plot to, say, assassinate Harry Reid and they turn them in, is the RNC part of the plot? Of course not. The cartels were even further removed than this.

I find myself agreeing with JJJ, here. Which came first; the FBI tempting this guy with a crazy plot or this guy coming up with the idea on his own and JUST HAPPENING TO CONTACT A GOVERNMENT SPOOK, RIGHT OFF THE BAT?

The first scenario seems much more likely.

You nailed it. Well said.

Jake

sanquintinsince73 - 10-14-2011 at 01:48 AM

Mexico: Operativo Salim
Thursday, October 13, 2011 | Borderland Beat Reporter Buggs

A couple of days ago we received information from an anonymous person telling us about information that this person wanted to share with us. Without giving it any thought we said sure. We received some documents that appear to be official and did not appear to have been published anywhere else. One particular document that caught our attention was a Naval Ministry intelligence report stamped June 10, 2010. Along with the file was a message from the anonymous source that included the following:

"THIS TOP SECRET DOCUMENT IS ABOUT WHAT THE MEXICAN INTELLIGENCE NAVY FOUND INSIDE THE 12S ROOM, AND ABOUT AHMED FILE, LISTEN, NOBODY, NOBODY IN US GOVERMENT KNOWS ABOUT THIS INF."

In addition to the above described document, we also received a copy of an official voter ID with the name of Arturo Hernandez Hernandez that appears to be the alleged Ahmed described in the document.

First and foremost, we want to make it clear that we have no way to confirm the validity of these documents, but we present it for the content it represents, readers must form their own conclusion as to the validity of such document.

However, other documents stamped Confidential Naval Ministry that were received from the anonymous source were shown to a member of Mexico's security establishment who confirmed their validity.

As the Iranian backed plot to assassinate Saudi Arabia's Ambassador to the U.S. unfolds in the media we are faced with the question of what is the true level of risk that a terrorist attack by Islamic militants or contracted agents aimed at the United States would come from across our southern border.

According to the intelligence analysts at Stratfor, "The threat is much smaller than it might initially seem — in part because of close U.S.-Mexican cooperation and primarily because the threat of U.S. retaliation on any organization that participates in terrorist activities is extremely high."

Alonzo Peña, a former ICE deputy director, was equally confident of the low risk of attack against the United States originating in Mexico.

In a story published in the San Antonio Express-News, Peña stated, "I think it's very highly unlikely any of the main cartels would get themselves involved in something like that.”

“These guys are in business to make money. They're driven by greed and by profit, but they're not stupid.”

However, the documents leaked by the anonymous source to Borderland Beat, together with ongoing criminal cases in the U.S. federal court system, paint a more complicated picture of what the risk may actually be.

In particular, the risk posed by the Somali based militant Islamic terrorist organization "Al Shabaab" (The Youth in Arabic) is highlighted.

Al Shabaab has strong links to Al Qaeda, and its latest suicide bombing in the Somali capitol of Mogadishu resulted in the deaths of more than eighty people.

In July 2010, Al Shabab was responsible for the deaths of over eighty people in bombings at bars in the Kampala, Uganda as fans watched a World Cup match.

The documents posted below are from a confidential report written by Mexican Naval intelligence and includes an analysis of evidence gathered in a raid between the days of June 7 and June 10, 2010 on a hotel room in Mexico City occupied by an individual identified as AHMED, allegedly a member of Al Shabaab.

Included in the report is a photograph of a Mexican voter's picture ID card identifying AHMED as Artuto Hernandez Hernandez, a Mexican citizen.

Title page of archive "Operation Salim"

Translation of confidential Naval Ministry intelligence report stamped June 10, 2010

Mexico D.F. June 10, 2010

Report of evidence in custody

In room #12S (128?)the following was found:

1-A cylinder shaped cardboard container holding 22.7 kilograms of high explosives and sealed with a paraffin compound. Two copper cables sheathed in plastic were inserted into the paraffin.

2-An orange colored thick fabric suitcase containing 2 Motorola c115 cellphones without batteries, 4 Motorola multichannel radios with chargers, 1 Radioshack frequency counter, latex gloves, 1 dark green notebook with Arabic and Spanish writing, 1 small prayer rug with Islamic motifs, 1 bar of body soap, 1 toothbrush, 1 sealed box of toothpaste, 1 liter of nitric acid, 5 liters of pure glycerin, 1 plastic bag containing 5 fuses (3 slow burn and 3 rapid burn), 1 kilogram of gunpowder containing aluminum, 10 meters of yellow/red colored detonation cord, 5 (illegible)__opines, 150 grams of mercury.

In the interior of the toothpaste box was a 2cm x 2cm piece of photographic paper imprinted with the logo of the armed Islamic extremist Islamic group AL SHABAB, attached with brown adhesive tape.

North American authorities informed us that intelligence agents attached to the Israeli embassy have been following the trail of the alleged terrorist of Somali nationality named AHMED, who allegedly belongs to the Islamic extremist organization mentioned above, and attached is a photograph and counterfeit credential. We also have information that the explosives were to be used in an attempt against the United States embassy in Mexico and also other objectives such as consulates.

Intelligence sources from the Israeli embassy in our country maintain that AHMED has been staying since Monday June 7th at the Hotel Puebla, located on the street of the same name Puebla and 1 and ½ blocks from the home of Merida #_2, as video from surveillance cameras within the hotel show.

Photo ID of Ahmed/Arturo Hernandez Hernandez

The documents above pose many questions:

Are they valid? There is a possibility that they are although it is impossible to independantly confirm their validity.

If this operation against Al Shabab did occur, who undertook it?

How did AHMED obtain the bomb making materials and a voter ID card? How well was his mission financed and planned?

What is the fate of AHMED?

The anonymous source's assertion that the U.S. Government had no knowledge of the operation seems improbable.

Mexico's security establishment is believed to be heavily infiltrated by U.S. intelligence agencies since the days of the Cold War. Although corrupt officials in government and law enforcement have often thwarted U.S. antidrug efforts, Mexico has always been a stalwart supporter of the U.S. against external enemies, from Communists to Islamic extremists.

Other aspects of Al Shabaab's presence in Mexico are highlighted in cases against U.S. citizens of Somali and non-Somali heritage, and resident Somali citizens in the U.S. federal court system.

Dozens of these young men have been recruited by Al Shabab agents in the U.S., especially from the large Somali expatriate community in Minnesota. These men have left for training and fighting in Somalia. Some have died, others are in U.S. custody, and others remain fugitives.

The following excerpt is from a criminal complaint in the U.S. District Court in Minnesota against two Al Shabaab operatives, Cabdulaahi Ahmed Farrax and Abdiweli Yassin Isse. Isse is in U.S. custody while Farrax remains at large.

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/packages/pdf/us/20091124_TERROR...

28. On October 8, 2009 between 7 and 7:30 AM, FAARAX and ISSE were identified by a U.S. Customs and Border Patrol Officer as two of three individuals dropped off by a taxi cab at the United States/Mexico border at the San Ysidro border crossing, (located South of San Diego). FAARAX and ISSE told the Officer that they would be flying from Tijuana airport to Mexico City airport and displayed airline tickets to the Officer.

Another criminal complaint in the U.S. District Court in Virginia details the case of Anthony Joseph Tracy, a U.S. citizen who converted to Islam while in prison and subsequently ran a human smuggling operation out of Kenya, illegally bringing Somali citizens into the U.S.

http://www.investigativeproject.org/documents/case_docs/1300...

Tracy was detained in 2010 and although he denied smuggling Al Shabaab operatives into the U.S., that possibility cannot be ignored. Tracy obtained Cuban travel visas in Kenya for his Somali clients, allowing travel to Cuba and subsequently into the U.S. illegally through Mexico.

It is probable that the smuggling of Tracy's Somali clients from Mexico to the U.S. was handled by Mexican human smuggling rings at enormous financial profit, and human smuggling is coming increasingly under the direct control of major Mexican drug cartels.

It is also unknown how many other smuggling operations similar to Tracy's exist in problematic countries such as Somalia, Yemen, Iraq, Afghanistan or Pakistan.

To say that Mexico's drug cartels would police themselves and defer the hefty profits of smuggling these people into the U.S. should no longer be accepted as conventional wisdom. Even if they unwittingly smuggle potential terrorists into the U.S, the damage has already been done.

If these drug cartels have proven anything by their actions in Mexico, it is that financial gain will be obtained at almost any cost.