THE WAR of words pitting the US and Saudi Arabia against the Islamic Republic of Iran escalated yesterday following the US government’s revelation of a bizarre plot by an Iranian used car salesman living in Texas and the Mexican drug cartel Los Zetas to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to Washington.
President Barack Obama telephoned ambassador Adel al-Jubeir late on Tuesday to express the “solidarity” of the US with Saudi Arabia. Mr Obama called the plot “a flagrant violation of US and international law” and promised that the US would ensure the security of diplomats.
Speaking in London yesterday, Prince Turki al-Faisal, himself a former Saudi ambassador to Washington, said that the “burden of proof” against Iran was “overwhelming” and “clearly shows official Iranian responsibility” for the plot. “Somebody in Iran will have to pay the price,” he warned.
The speaker of the Iranian majlis (parliament), Ali Larijani, denounced “vulgar” and “fabricated allegations” intended to divert attention from revolts against Arab rulers. “America is using this story to ruin our relationship with Saudi Arabia,” he said.
The US treasury announced sanctions against the commercial Iranian airline Mahan Air, saying it provides logistical and financial support for Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards, whom Washington accuses of fomenting the plot. The US has reportedly requested that the matter be addressed at the UN Security Council. Iran’s ambassador to the UN, Mohammad Khazaee, wrote to the secretary general to denounce US “war-mongering”.
The state department warned US citizens to be cautious when travelling abroad for the next three months and said the plot “may indicate a more aggressive focus by the Iranian government on terrorist activity”.
But analysts are perplexed by the apparent amateurism of the plot, code-named “Chevrolet”. It was revealed by attorney general Eric Holder and FBI director Robert Mueller.
Mr Mueller likened the plot to “a Hollywood script”. Tehran has in the past used the Lebanese Hizbullah, Palestinian Hamas and Iraqi Mehdi army to carry out attacks. But the idea that an Iranian “sleeper” in Texas would approach the aunt of a drug dealer for Los Zetas – who happened to be an informant for the US Drug Enforcement Agency – to ask the Mexican cartel to assassinate Mr Jubeir by blowing up a restaurant in Washington seems incongruous. The possibility of a “rogue operation” by individuals from the Quds brigade of the Revolutionary Guards cannot be excluded. As with several recent attempted attacks in the US, it was difficult to discern the degree to which the suspect was entrapped and egged on by US undercover agents.
According to the justice department, Mansour Arbabsiar transferred a downpayment of $100,000 to the Mexican informant and attempted to fly from Tehran to Mexico at the end of September. His presence was to have guaranteed the remainder of the $1.5 million fee. But Mexican authorities refused entry to Mr Arbabsiar on US instructions and he was arrested in New York.
Gholam Shakuri, the second Iranian named by the US, is said to be a member of the Quds brigade and a relative of Mr Arbabsiar.
Saudi Arabia, home to Islam’s holiest places, sees itself as the leader of the world’s Sunni Muslims, while Iran is the most populous Shia country. Their relations were never easy, but improved in the last decade when they concluded a security agreement and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad visited Riyadh.
Those relations have been severely tried this year. Saudi Arabia accuses Tehran of stirring up Shia unrest in its own eastern province and in neighbouring Bahrain. Riyadh is alarmed by Iran’s pervasive influence in post-Saddam Iraq, as well as in Syria and Lebanon.
‘underwear bomber’ Nigerian pleads guilty
DETROIT– The Nigerian man accused of trying to use a bomb in his underwear to blow up a US airliner on Christmas Day 2009 pleaded guilty yesterday to all charges against him and warned that the United States could face “a great calamity”.
Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab (24) entered the guilty pleas a day after testimony began in his trial. Not-guilty pleas had previously been entered on behalf of Abdulmutallab, who was representing himself in the trial with help from an attorney.
Abdulmutallab, who is linked to al-Qaeda, pleaded guilty to eight felonies, including conspiracy to commit terrorism, attempted murder and attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction. He faces life in prison when sentenced in January.
– (Reuters)