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Feds Foil Massive Iran-Linked Terror Plot on U.S. Soil

Oct. 11, 2011 2:04pm Christopher Santarelli

Federal officials say FBI and DEA agents have disrupted a plot to commit a “significant terrorist act in the United States” tied to Iran. ABC News first reported:

“The officials said the plot included the assassination of the Saudi Arabian ambassador to the United States, Adel Al-Jubeir, with a bomb and subsequent bomb attacks on the Saudi and Israeli embassies in Washington, D.C.

Bombings of the Saudi and Israeli embassies in Buenos Aires, Argentina, were also discussed, according to the U.S. officials.”

The case has been called “Operation Red Coalition” and traces back to an Iranian-American from Corpus Christi, Texas, who contacted a DEA informant in May, for help from a Mexican drug cartel to assassinate the Saudi ambassador. The Iranian-American thought he was dealing with a member of the Zetas Mexican drug organization, according to agents.

The assassination was allegedly “directed by elements of the Iranian government” according to CNN.

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder confirmed the plot shortly before 2:15p.m. ET at a press event in Washington with FBI Director Robert Mueller and U.S. attorney in Manhattan Preet Bharara. Holder confirmed that 56-year-old Manssor Arbabsiar is accused of attempting to orchestrate a $1.5 million assassination plot of the Saudi Ambassador to the United States. Holder said Arbabsiar is in U.S. custody, and has confessed to the accusation.

You can watch his press conference, where he was joined by the FBI, below:

Arbabsiar, a naturalized U.S. citizen, expressed “utter disregard for collateral damage” in the planned bomb attacks in Washington, according to officials who spoke with ABC News.

Holder confirmed the plot was linked to the Iranian government, specifically the Quds force, and that the conspiracy “constitutes a flagrant violation of U.S. and international law.”

The Quds force is an elite unit of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC).

The Iranian government has denied the accusation, and say that the allegations are being used as a means for the United States to deflect attention from their own economic problems.

Holder said the U.S. would hold Iran accountable, and the foiling of the plot “marks a significant achievement.”

“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.”

CNN reports on the criminal complaint filed Tuesday in the Southern District of New York against the alleged orchestrators of the attack, Manssor Arbabsiar, and Gholam Shakuri, an Iran-based member of Iran’s Quds Forces:

“Arbabsiar was arrested on Septemnber 29, 2011, at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. He will make his initial appearance on Tuesday before in federal court in Manhattan, the Justice Department said. He allegedly confessed to his participation in the murder plot, according to the Justice Department.

Shakuri remains at large.

The men are charged with the following crimes: 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.”

FBI Director Robert Mueller says many lives could have been lost in the plot to kill the ambassador with bombs in the U.S. ”We will not let other countries use our soil as their battleground,” Manhattan U.S. Attorney Bharara said at the press event.

President Barack Obama was first briefed on the plot in June, said White House spokesman Tommy Vietor.

Full transcript of Attorney General Eric Holder’s remarks.

This is a breaking story. The Blaze will update as more information comes to light.

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Comments (471)

the hawk
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 2:46pm
This could be the biggest wag the dog EVER ! We’ll go to war to save Holder ! He’s even got them hooked up to the Zetta Mexican drug lords ! SO FAST AND FURIOUS SAVE AND STOPED AT LEAST TWO TERRORIST ATTACKS ! dAMN ! hOLDER SHOULD RUN FOR PRES NOW ! ! !

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Lone Ranger
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 2:46pm
What did Holder know about this and when did he know it? Perhaps just in time to prepare for the press conference?

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- the hawk
  Posted on October 11, 2011 at 8:59pm
  good point he might of just found out !
  
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kentuckypatriot
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 2:45pm
what the hell are you babbling about? Please explain

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cece959
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 2:45pm
But it’s not the right wing that’s in power, now is it? And it’s not the right wing that was up there at the podium putting this story out, now was it? This is Obama’s people putting this out…and why would they stand up there and endorse any ‘right wing’ story out there?

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lukerw
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 2:43pm
How many… do you think… Nations have established Assassins, Saboteurs, Provocateurs, and Spys here, in the US? Whose side is HomeLandSecurity upon??

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doctroprint
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 2:42pm
The untold story: This was planned at the southern boarder of Texas, with drug king-pins, it’s cool we have no boarder control.

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dsind
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 2:42pm
Oh my golly!
Imagine islamic terrorists teaming up with mexican cartels.
Us “border” concerned people have known this possibility has
exsisted for many years.
Go figure.

And wag the dog Mr Holder!
He needs a good crisis now with the F+F subpoenas.

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suzy000
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 2:41pm
They have known this for months…why are they bringing this out now? I’ll tell you why…the media was ONLY talking about Fast and Furious and they needed big news to get Fast and Furious out of the headlines. Why even break this story when they are still trying to capture the other guy involved. They decided to blow the lid for the sake of saving Eric Holder….now the Iranians will cover up big time and protect all their sources.

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DanielBurke
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 2:41pm
Not sure I believe this. I’ll reserve judgment until I see what the Blaze and GBTV reports on the facts of this over the next several days. Holder is not to be trusted on anything.

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cece959
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 2:40pm
Does not pass the sniff test. This is just a little too convenient that this administration always, always, foils a terror plot when someone in the administration comes under fire for something. I don’t believe this for one minute.

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AmericanTruthSeeker
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 2:39pm
one arrested sept 29th ???? one got away???? Just now being reported???

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kickagrandma
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 2:39pm
Oh, gee, corroborated by cnn and abc. Well, that makes it the truth now, doesn’t it?

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Cate
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 2:37pm
Holder said the foiling of the plot “marks a significant achievement.”
So now we have another distraction! Hero Holder to the rescue. Wow what a man! They are so juvenile in influencing the public with comic book adventure. Holder is still a corrupt official who would sell his grandmother to the terrorists. Ups and downs; what a psychological play to invoke fear among the people to build a false trust in the Department of Justice. I just do not trust this administration. They are just too good at theatricals that always serve to distract from some scandal(s). Wait. This is just the beginning of such episodes prior to the election which they do not want to lose by using whatever crisis is necessary.

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ThankGod4FoxNews
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 2:36pm
The only plot here is the one fabricated by Eric and his Messiah to draw attention away for Fast & Furious. Nice try guys.

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BarbieBabe
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 2:34pm
Watch the other hand

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RightUnite
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 2:34pm
Fine! After the press conference, Holder can then be arrested.

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cloudsofwar
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 2:33pm
I’m sorry it’s just to hard to believe CNN or ABC or Holder or Obama or other MSM. you can’t trust anything we are told. Holder and Obama need a BIG STORY.

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TomFerrari
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 2:31pm
RED HERRING!

Per El Rushbo, obama is about to be subpoenaed for Fast & Furious.
But, don’t pay any attention to the President of These United States being questioned for CRIMES!
Istead, look at some foreign country on the other side of the planet.

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- TomFerrari
  Posted on October 11, 2011 at 2:34pm
  oops – I meant holder, not obama is being called.
  
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- cloudsofwar
  Posted on October 11, 2011 at 2:37pm
  these united states? you must mean these united socialist states as per hank williams jr.
  
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- WatchOutForTheRINOShills
  Posted on October 11, 2011 at 4:21pm
  Oh, you got my hopes up by saying Obama, then you had to go dash them by changing it to Holder…they are both as guilty as sin, and BOTH should be brought up on charges of TREASON – like YESTERDAY!!
  
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momsense
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 2:30pm
According to Racist 1, this man has been in jail since the 29th of September. A little long to just be pressing charges. Diversion any one?

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- TomFerrari
  Posted on October 11, 2011 at 2:31pm
  Yep!
  
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doctroprint
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 2:30pm
I Call BullChit!

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- TomFerrari
  Posted on October 11, 2011 at 2:33pm
  On behalf of cattlemen across Texas and the USA (of which I am NOT one),
  PLEASE, refrain from insulting bulls by comparing them to obama.
  That is like comparing a bull to Hitler.
  I don’t care if it IS an analogy, we clearly do not even allow analogies where obama is concerned.
  So, please stop insulting bovines!
  
  Report this comment
RLTW
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 2:29pm
Why at this point should I trust the FBI/DEA? Maybe when they do their job and arrest Holder for F&F I’ll consider taking there info under advisement, did they not take the oath to defend this country from all enemies both foreign & domestic.

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inexiletill2012
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 2:28pm
Holder gets papers to testify about his lies…now this ?

How con-VEEN-ient!”,

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FreedomOne
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 2:28pm
Im sure it was all fabricated by the CIA and such to make holder look “good”.

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thepeoplescountry
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 2:27pm
I’m sure Ahmadinejad will be giving another hateful speech to the indoctrinated ******** at Columbia University any time now with Obama waiting in the wings to defend him. God Bless the USA and Israel.

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2smart
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 2:27pm
Didn’t Ron Paul say that Iran didn’t have an Air Force so why should we be afraid of them? Or something similiar.

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- 1casawizard
  Posted on October 11, 2011 at 6:17pm
  They certainly had one when the shah was in. We trained their pilots and some ground support at NAS Atlanta. I’m sure they have some technology of ours now, tho it might be a little dated.
  
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