This article is from the source 'nytimes' 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.nytimes.com/2013/05/31/nyregion/mansour-arbabsiar-sentenced-for-plot-to-kill-saudi-ambassador.html
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Man Sentenced in Plot to Kill Saudi Ambassador | Man Sentenced in Plot to Kill Saudi Ambassador |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| An Iranian-American used-car salesman from Texas who was accused of plotting to hire assassins from a Mexican drug cartel to murder Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the United States was sentenced to 25 years in prison on Thursday in Federal District Court in Manhattan. | An Iranian-American used-car salesman from Texas who was accused of plotting to hire assassins from a Mexican drug cartel to murder Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the United States was sentenced to 25 years in prison on Thursday in Federal District Court in Manhattan. |
| The defendant, Mansour J. Arbabsiar, a naturalized American citizen living in Corpus Christi, Tex., was arrested on Sept. 29, 2011, at Kennedy International Airport, and he ultimately pleaded guilty to his role in the bizarre scheme. | The defendant, Mansour J. Arbabsiar, a naturalized American citizen living in Corpus Christi, Tex., was arrested on Sept. 29, 2011, at Kennedy International Airport, and he ultimately pleaded guilty to his role in the bizarre scheme. |
| When the case, with a plotline that seemed scripted from a Hollywood movie, was made public, it riveted Washington and raised already-heightened tensions between the Sunni royal family that rules Saudi Arabia and the Shiite-controlled government in Iran. | When the case, with a plotline that seemed scripted from a Hollywood movie, was made public, it riveted Washington and raised already-heightened tensions between the Sunni royal family that rules Saudi Arabia and the Shiite-controlled government in Iran. |
| At the time of Mr. Arbabsiar’s arrest, Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. said that the plot had been “directed and approved by elements of the Iranian government and, specifically, senior members of the Quds force,” which is part of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps. | At the time of Mr. Arbabsiar’s arrest, Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. said that the plot had been “directed and approved by elements of the Iranian government and, specifically, senior members of the Quds force,” which is part of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps. |
| The Iranian government has denied that it had anything to do with the plot. | The Iranian government has denied that it had anything to do with the plot. |
| The plan, according to government officials, involved Mr. Arbabsiar’s paying a member of the Los Zetas drug cartel $1.5 million to plant a bomb at a Washington restaurant while the Saudi ambassador, Adel al-Jubeir, dined. | The plan, according to government officials, involved Mr. Arbabsiar’s paying a member of the Los Zetas drug cartel $1.5 million to plant a bomb at a Washington restaurant while the Saudi ambassador, Adel al-Jubeir, dined. |
| But Mr. Arbabsiar, who had been drawn into the plot by a cousin in Iran who was a high-ranking member of the Quds Force, turned to a man in Mexico he believed was an associate of a drug cartel to hire a team of assassins. The man turned out to be a confidential informer for the Drug Enforcement Administration. | But Mr. Arbabsiar, who had been drawn into the plot by a cousin in Iran who was a high-ranking member of the Quds Force, turned to a man in Mexico he believed was an associate of a drug cartel to hire a team of assassins. The man turned out to be a confidential informer for the Drug Enforcement Administration. |
| Judge John F. Keenan noted before imposing the sentence that when Mr. Arbabsiar was told that there would probably be 100 to 150 people in the restaurant when it was bombed, he replied, “No problem,” or “No big deal,” according to a recording of the conversation made secretly by the drug agency’s informer. | Judge John F. Keenan noted before imposing the sentence that when Mr. Arbabsiar was told that there would probably be 100 to 150 people in the restaurant when it was bombed, he replied, “No problem,” or “No big deal,” according to a recording of the conversation made secretly by the drug agency’s informer. |
| “Nothing in the record before me warrants a sentence of less than 25 years,” the judge said. “In a case like this, deterrence is of supreme importance.” | “Nothing in the record before me warrants a sentence of less than 25 years,” the judge said. “In a case like this, deterrence is of supreme importance.” |
| He added, “Others who may have financial or political purposes in engaging in acts of violence against the United States or its interests must learn the lesson that such conduct will not be tolerated.” | He added, “Others who may have financial or political purposes in engaging in acts of violence against the United States or its interests must learn the lesson that such conduct will not be tolerated.” |
| Preet Bharara, the United States attorney in Manhattan, whose office had sought the maximum 25-year sentence, called Mr. Arbabsiar “an enemy among us — the key conduit for, and facilitator of, a nefarious international plot concocted by members of the Iranian military to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to the United States and as many innocent bystanders as necessary to get the job done.” | Preet Bharara, the United States attorney in Manhattan, whose office had sought the maximum 25-year sentence, called Mr. Arbabsiar “an enemy among us — the key conduit for, and facilitator of, a nefarious international plot concocted by members of the Iranian military to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to the United States and as many innocent bystanders as necessary to get the job done.” |
| Mr. Arbabsiar, 58, addressing the judge before he was sentenced, said: “Whatever I did wrong, I take responsibility for it. I can’t change what I did. I have a good heart. I never hurt anyone.” He added, “My mind sometimes is not in a good place.” | Mr. Arbabsiar, 58, addressing the judge before he was sentenced, said: “Whatever I did wrong, I take responsibility for it. I can’t change what I did. I have a good heart. I never hurt anyone.” He added, “My mind sometimes is not in a good place.” |
| Though Mr. Arbabsiar was originally charged with offenses that carried a maximum sentence of life in prison, he pleaded guilty in October to three counts for which he faced a maximum of 25 years. The charges included conspiracy to commit an act of terrorism transcending national boundaries and two counts related to murder-for-hire. | Though Mr. Arbabsiar was originally charged with offenses that carried a maximum sentence of life in prison, he pleaded guilty in October to three counts for which he faced a maximum of 25 years. The charges included conspiracy to commit an act of terrorism transcending national boundaries and two counts related to murder-for-hire. |
| “It is an extraordinary crime that requires an equally serious sentence,” a prosecutor, Glen Kopp, told the judge. | “It is an extraordinary crime that requires an equally serious sentence,” a prosecutor, Glen Kopp, told the judge. |
| Mr. Arbabsiar’s lawyer, Sabrina Shroff, a federal public defender, had sought a 10-year term, arguing that her client’s crime had been the result of a longstanding, untreated bipolar disorder. In court, she also cited his cooperation with the authorities after his arrest. | Mr. Arbabsiar’s lawyer, Sabrina Shroff, a federal public defender, had sought a 10-year term, arguing that her client’s crime had been the result of a longstanding, untreated bipolar disorder. In court, she also cited his cooperation with the authorities after his arrest. |
| The authorities have said that Mr. Arbabsiar knowingly and voluntarily waived his rights to remain silent or to have a lawyer present during his interrogation in his first 12 days in custody, and that he confessed to his role in the plot and shared “extremely valuable intelligence.” | The authorities have said that Mr. Arbabsiar knowingly and voluntarily waived his rights to remain silent or to have a lawyer present during his interrogation in his first 12 days in custody, and that he confessed to his role in the plot and shared “extremely valuable intelligence.” |
| Ms. Shroff told reporters after the proceeding ended that she did not believe the sentence would be an effective deterrent. “Who is the message going to?” she said. “Does Iran really care?” | Ms. Shroff told reporters after the proceeding ended that she did not believe the sentence would be an effective deterrent. “Who is the message going to?” she said. “Does Iran really care?” |
| “The person has to matter,” she added. “Unfortunately for Mr. Arbabsiar, neither the United States nor the Iranian government cares. He’s expendable.” | “The person has to matter,” she added. “Unfortunately for Mr. Arbabsiar, neither the United States nor the Iranian government cares. He’s expendable.” |
| For most of the proceeding, Mr. Arbabsiar sat still, hands in his lap, looking straight ahead except when he turned to speak with Ms. Shroff, who put her hand on his back to comfort him while the judge delivered the sentence. When the judge finished reading, Mr. Arbabsiar gave a small nod and rubbed his chin, showing little emotion. | For most of the proceeding, Mr. Arbabsiar sat still, hands in his lap, looking straight ahead except when he turned to speak with Ms. Shroff, who put her hand on his back to comfort him while the judge delivered the sentence. When the judge finished reading, Mr. Arbabsiar gave a small nod and rubbed his chin, showing little emotion. |
Vivian | Marc Santora and Vivian Yee contributed reporting. |