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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)

Elena2010
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 3:06pm
Revoke his citizenship, and after he serves his jail time, send his **** home to Iran.

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DaveOregon
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 3:06pm
First – Holder did squat – he’s just the mouth piece. It’s the agents who did this good work. Second – OH YEA, BABY – Ron Paul get’s the “foot in mouth disease” heavy for this one – bet it get’s pointed out in tonights debate. Thrid – Damn Stragiht – Iran, Hezbollah and all the other islamitc radical nut jobs are pouring across our border – YA THINK????

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- Rajabear1
  Posted on October 11, 2011 at 3:10pm
  Amen!
  
  Report this comment
- Vechorik
  Posted on October 11, 2011 at 3:25pm
  Get a clue
  
  Want safety in America, protect Israel, wipe out Muslims?
  MUST SEE VIDEO /watch?v=BHrkc6EB6h0
  
  Report this comment
Walkabout
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 3:06pm
Let’s take the report for face value.

The Zetas & Iranians won’t fail in the same way again. … And the will try again.

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rakumaniac
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 3:06pm
“Iranians and The Mexican drug cartel,,,a terror plot,,,,see I told ya we had good reason for Fast and Furious”

Signed
Eric Holder

Such BS !

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progressiveslayer
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 3:05pm
Now hold on hear Eric, the concerned people of America have a right to know,what did you know? and when did you know it ? ie fast & furious,personally I think you’re a racist and criminal who should be given a fair trial & convicted of insert statute,you and your boss are crookeder than a dogs hind leg.

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Rillobymorning
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 3:04pm
This administration is as bad as a bad soap opera…unbelievable. unreal…unreliable!

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tunedthinker
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 3:03pm
Does anybody think that this could be a very real attempt to start all out war? Sure this is very convenient, but my stance is to treat this like a serious attempt on global peace… I hope I am completely mislead, and this does turn out to be political nonsense. I would like to be able to put all my thought toward thinking that this is just another messed up thing going on in the Obama administration.. The fact still remains, that whatever this does turn out to be, it has a possibility to become a MAJOR catastrophe. Will somebody please confirm that this is definatly a political strategy????

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I SPY
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 3:02pm
We should take immediate action…. by throwing Holder in prison.

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classicalgas
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 3:00pm
So what is the United States going to do to Iran? Nothing! Iran is a FOB (friend of Obama).

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crazyloon
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 2:59pm
Holder is the perptrator of ciminal acts. He must be arrested and jailed!!! Anyone remember Scooter Libby?

2 guys = significant terror threat?

Really? Then I have this bridge…….

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judy1270
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 2:58pm
How convenient for, Holder.
What, a pile of steaming bull ‘ blank ‘
Come on people, do you believe one word of this?
My jaw hit the floor……..lol
Mr. Holder wants you too believe he foiled a plot. They got one terrorist but, the other one got away somewhere in New York.
Just 4 weeks ago………………
Hello……………..
When did, the protests start in New York…………………..4 Weeks ago.
If, any of this was true.
New York, would be on lock down.
But, no there are ‘ Back Packs ‘ just lieing around the streets of New York.
Unless…………..that is the plan.
Come on……………….!

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lucktsm
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 2:57pm
Does this mean we can Bomb Bomb Bomb, Bomb Bomb Iran?

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Lucy Larue
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 2:57pm
Iran has abetted EVERYTHING that has happened in the last decade!
Instead of addressing it…,our government “made nice”.
Our appeasement policy will not deter them. They want to destroy the Great Satan and the Little Satan. Israel first …,of course.
Things are getting hotter than ever.
Iran does not care.
And do not think for one second that the beheadings and dismemberments on our Southern Border have not been influenced by Islamofascists!
Get your learn on people…,or remain DHIMMIS.

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ROMANS 10-9
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 2:57pm
ok people what are we going to do save our country?

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let us prey
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 2:57pm
If Holder confirmed it, it must be true. Yeah right. Believe nothing that comes from this clown.
They are fueling the boogeyman.
He wants to keep us scared.

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let us prey
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 2:54pm
Is this rose Ellen? The amount of gibberish flowing from your pie hole gave you away.

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Dougral Supports Israel
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 2:54pm
We need to name Iran as an enemy of the US and treat them accordingly. Sooner or later they will succeed in one of their plots and kill a lot of US citizens.

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faires
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 2:53pm
Jeez, something else to distract from Eric Holder & the Fast and Furious scandal!__Imagine That??!!

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chazmo
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 2:52pm
False Flag…

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Texas woman56
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 2:52pm
Megan seems to believe everything they are saying, bless her little heart.
Isnt it interesting that the Fast and Furious group all seem to be reporting to us on their great work.
If they were trying to work with the Mexican Cartel, isn’t this spill over violence which the Obama Admin. has said is not happening and the border is safer than ever.
I think I would believe the person they say they caught more then them.
Also this has been going on for months, but today is the day it helps them so that is why they came out with the information.

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Fusion Center Commander
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 2:51pm
What a coincidwnce just as Holder and the boys at CIA about to be exposed(fast furious and the undie bomber..we get a FALSE FLAGG TERROR deal to divert attention and to drum up WAR AGAINST IRAN. Really? This the best these guys could come up with. Musta been many Starbucks before they came up with this one. Give us a f…in break clowns.

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- Walkabout
  Posted on October 11, 2011 at 3:09pm
  Iran has roughly 3 times the population of Iraq. Unless we had a lot of popular support & turned it around quick it would be bad.
  
  Going into Iran would be a bad ideal.
  
  Much better to support the opposition like we didn’t do under Bush & 1st year of Obama’s presidency.
  
  Report this comment
Sam Brown
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 2:50pm
Holder was under Janet Reno when the socialist went after Waco over guns and killed over 80 American men women and childeren. It will be a great sense of justice if Holder loses his job over his selling guns to the cartels

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- Walkabout
  Posted on October 11, 2011 at 3:12pm
  Waco was a CLinton/Reno photo op.
  
  It has been pointed out that there were daily opportunities to arrest Khoresh in town away from the “Compound”
  
  David Khoresh played checkers with the 30 something undercover agents posing as college students (I recall).
  
  General Janet Reno wanted the photo op of a raid coming on the news at 6 PM.
  
  Report this comment
I SPY
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 2:50pm
Hmmmmm. Nice timing, Holder. But you still deserve JAIL TIME.

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calicomradnot
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 2:50pm
I personally dont believe anything Holder says, and find it amusing that a jihadi would have to talk to a drug dealer do decide how to blow up a Saudi, but thats just me!

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elosogrande
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 2:47pm
Why didn’t they say that the Zetas gang reported the terrorist to the FBI & DEA? Maybe UIran would have started killing drug dealers.

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