This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/world-us-canada-15266992
The article has changed 8 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Iran agents 'planned US terror attacks' | Iran agents 'planned US terror attacks' |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| The US says it has broken up a major terror plot in which agents linked to Iran sought to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to Washington. | The US says it has broken up a major terror plot in which agents linked to Iran sought to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to Washington. |
| Two men originally from Iran - one a naturalised US citizen - have been charged with counts of conspiracy, Attorney General Eric Holder said. | Two men originally from Iran - one a naturalised US citizen - have been charged with counts of conspiracy, Attorney General Eric Holder said. |
| The plot was "conceived" in Iran by the Quds force, part of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps, he added. | The plot was "conceived" in Iran by the Quds force, part of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps, he added. |
| The state department has listed Iran as a "state sponsor" of terror since 1984. | The state department has listed Iran as a "state sponsor" of terror since 1984. |
| Mr Holder described the plot as being "conceived, sponsored and directed by Iran", and said Tehran would be held accountable for its alleged involvement. | |
| Top Iranian officials were responsible for the plans, Mr Holder said, adding that the White House would be announcing steps against Iran in the next few hours. | |
| Drug cartel informant | |
| The two men allegedly linked to the plot were named as Manssor Arbabsiar, a 56-year-old naturalised US citizen with dual Iranian and US passports, and Gholam Shakuri, based in Iran and said to be a member of Iran's Quds Force. | The two men allegedly linked to the plot were named as Manssor Arbabsiar, a 56-year-old naturalised US citizen with dual Iranian and US passports, and Gholam Shakuri, based in Iran and said to be a member of Iran's Quds Force. |
| Mr Arbabsiar was arrested in September, Mr Holder said, but Mr Shakuri remains in Iran. | Mr Arbabsiar was arrested in September, Mr Holder said, but Mr Shakuri remains in Iran. |
| They were arrested after approaching an informant for the US Drug Enforcement Agency - under the impression that he was an operative of a Mexican drugs cartel - in order to arrange the assassination of the Saudi ambassador to the US, Adel Al-Jubeir. | |
| They have been charged with conspiracy to murder a foreign official, weapons conspiracy, and conspiracy to commit international terrorism charges over alleged plans to kill the Saudi ambassador. | |
| Mr Arbabsiar, who is due to appear in court in New York on Tuesday, faces a potential life prison sentence if convicted on all charges, the Department of Justice said. | Mr Arbabsiar, who is due to appear in court in New York on Tuesday, faces a potential life prison sentence if convicted on all charges, the Department of Justice said. |
| Criminal charges will be brought in the Southern District of New York because a downpayment of $100,000 was wired through a bank located in the Southern District of New York, officials say. |