DENTON Officials say they have foiled a terror plot to kill Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the U.S. on American soil.
The would-be target is a graduate of the University of North Texas, and the plan of attack was allegedly hatched right on the Texas-Mexico border.
Federal authorities say the plan was to bomb embassies in Washington D.C.
Officials say it all started in May when Manssor Arbabsiar, an Iranian-American from Corpus Christi, approached a Drug Enforcement Administration informant. Documents say he alleged the Iranian government wanted him to to kill Saudi Ambassador Adel al-Jubeir with the help of the Zetas drug cartel.
Meetings took place in July on the border to plan the $1.5 million dollar hit.
Then two weeks ago federal agents arrested Arbabsiar in New York as he tried fly back from Iran.
Arbabsiar, 56, made his first court appearance Tuesday in New York, where he was held without bail. An Iranian official who is also charged in the case, Gohlam Shakuri, remains at large.
The president of Saudis in Denton, a campus organization at the University of North Texas, described the assassination plot as shocking.
Saudi students are very familiar with the UNT graduate who became one of Saudi Arabia's most powerful men.
The would-be victim and one of the suspects both have North Texas ties.
Saudi Ambassador to the U.S. Adel al-Jubeir graduated from UNT in 1984. We thank the CIA and FBI to notice this and inform the Embassy before it happens, said Badr Karni, President of Saudis in Denton.
To the more than 300 Saudi students at UNT, al-Jubeir is a role model and source of pride. We are all proud of Adel al-Jubeir. He inspires all the Saudi students here at UNT, Karni said.
The suspect, Manssor Arbabsiar, got married in the Rio Grande Valley in 1981. At some point, he moved to North Texas and lived at apartments in Dallas and Arlington.
In 1987, Arbabsiar's wife sought a protective order against him. It was issued by Dallas County and resolved a few months later after the couple filed for divorce.
Arbabsiar lived with his wife in Round Rock, north of Austin, for six years. FBI agents searched a home there on Tuesday afternoon. Neighbors said at least 10 people lived in the residence.
Arbabsiar also had a record in Corpus Christi, where he was arrested on theft charges.
Senior Obama administration officials say Iran devised the international murder-for-hire scheme, but the U.S. will not respond militarily.
The Treasury Department has already moved to impose further sanctions.
President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton spent Tuesday evening reaching out to other nations, discussing ways to further isolate Iran from the global community.
E-mail sstoler@wfaa.com
