Attorney General Eric Holder announced Tuesday that the U.S. government is charging two men with planning to kill the Saudi ambassador to the U.S in a bombing plot sponsored by elements of the Iranian government and intended to be carried out by members of a Mexican drug cartel.
"The complaint alleges that this conspiracy was conceived, was sponsored and was directed from Iran and constitutes a flagrant violation of U.S. and international law," said Holder at a press conference Tuesday.
Holder said Manssor Arbabsiar and Gholam Shakuri were charged with
conspiracy to murder a foreign official, conspiracy to use a weapon of
mass destruction and conspiracy to commit an act of international
terrorism among other charges.
"In addition to holding these individual conspirators accountable for their alleged role in this plot, the United States is committed to holding Iran accountable for its actions," he added.
Arbabsiar has been in custody since Sept. 29, 2011 and Shakuri remains at-large according to Holder.
"The disruption of this alleged plot marks a significant achievement by our law enforcement and intelligence agencies as well as our close cooperation of our partners in the Mexican government, he said.
For the latest on Holder's announcement on The Hill's Briefing Room blog, click here.
