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Saudi envoy plotter Manssor Arbabsiar sentenced to 25 years Saudi envoy plotter Manssor Arbabsiar sentenced to 25 years
(about 2 hours later)
An Iranian-American man who admitted to plotting the assassination of the Saudi ambassador to the US has been sentenced to 25 years in prison.An Iranian-American man who admitted to plotting the assassination of the Saudi ambassador to the US has been sentenced to 25 years in prison.
Car dealer Manssor Arbabsiar, 58, pleaded guilty in October to charges of conspiracy and murder-for-hire.Car dealer Manssor Arbabsiar, 58, pleaded guilty in October to charges of conspiracy and murder-for-hire.
He said Iranian military officials sent him to Mexico several times in 2011 to arrange the foiled assassination plot. He said Iranian military officials sent him to Mexico several times in 2011 to arrange an assassination plot.
Prosecutors said he planned to plant a bomb at a Washington DC restaurant, knowing it might cause mass casualties.Prosecutors said he planned to plant a bomb at a Washington DC restaurant, knowing it might cause mass casualties.
"Manssor Arbabsiar was an enemy among us," said Preet Bharara, US attorney for the southern district of New York."Manssor Arbabsiar was an enemy among us," said Preet Bharara, US attorney for the southern district of New York.
"But for the vigilance of our FBI and [Drug Enforcement Agency] partners, his plot, and the unspeakable harm it would have caused, may well have come to fruition.""But for the vigilance of our FBI and [Drug Enforcement Agency] partners, his plot, and the unspeakable harm it would have caused, may well have come to fruition."
Casualties 'no big deal'Casualties 'no big deal'
According to prosecutors, Arbabsiar had described the possibility of civilian casualties as "no big deal", in conversations with an undercover government agent.According to prosecutors, Arbabsiar had described the possibility of civilian casualties as "no big deal", in conversations with an undercover government agent.
Defence lawyers said the crime, although serious, was "entirely aberrational" and brought on by mental illness.Defence lawyers said the crime, although serious, was "entirely aberrational" and brought on by mental illness.
It was "the result of a severe mental breakdown caused by a longstanding, untreated bipolar disorder, worsened by the death of his father and his best friend in the same year," defence lawyers said.It was "the result of a severe mental breakdown caused by a longstanding, untreated bipolar disorder, worsened by the death of his father and his best friend in the same year," defence lawyers said.
They had asked for a maximum sentence of 10 years, saying the defendant had no other ties to terror networks nor to Iranian political figures.They had asked for a maximum sentence of 10 years, saying the defendant had no other ties to terror networks nor to Iranian political figures.
Arbabsiar said Iranian military officials, including members of the Quds Force, a branch of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, were involved in the plot, prosecutors said.Arbabsiar said Iranian military officials, including members of the Quds Force, a branch of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, were involved in the plot, prosecutors said.
In Mexico, Arbabsiar met a US government agent posing as a member of a violent Mexican drug cartel, later sending $100,000 to the undercover agent as an initial payment for the murder, prosecutors said.In Mexico, Arbabsiar met a US government agent posing as a member of a violent Mexican drug cartel, later sending $100,000 to the undercover agent as an initial payment for the murder, prosecutors said.
He had asked for a $1.5m (£987,000) payment to carry out the plot, it added.
Arbabsiar had been living in the state of Texas since moving to the US in 1977.Arbabsiar had been living in the state of Texas since moving to the US in 1977.