Drugs and Terror Mix in Case
DEA Informant Plays Star Role as Agency Expands National-Security Portfolio
By DEVLIN BARRETT And EVAN PEREZ
WSJ
The informant at the center of an alleged Iranian plot to assassinate the Saudi Arabian ambassador marks the latest example of how the U.S. government's war on drugs has expanded into the war on terrorism.
The DEA has participated in many narcoterrorist inquiries in recent years. For example, an agent escorted the Afghan Taza Gul Alizai, left, at a New York-area airport in July, after his arrest on charges of selling heroin and rifles with the intention of using the proceeds to fund the Taliban.
This past spring, the informant told agents that an Iranian-American man named Manssor Arbabsiar had asked him to help put together terror attacks in the U.S. and elsewhere, according to law-enforcement officials.
The U.S. alleges Mr. Arbabsiar, working on directions from Tehran, sought out a Mexican drug-cartel member to carry out terror attacks for money. The Iranian side was ready to pay $1.5 million to kill the ambassador, the U.S. says. Iran has called the allegations baseless.
(More here.)
By DEVLIN BARRETT And EVAN PEREZ
WSJ
The informant at the center of an alleged Iranian plot to assassinate the Saudi Arabian ambassador marks the latest example of how the U.S. government's war on drugs has expanded into the war on terrorism.
The DEA has participated in many narcoterrorist inquiries in recent years. For example, an agent escorted the Afghan Taza Gul Alizai, left, at a New York-area airport in July, after his arrest on charges of selling heroin and rifles with the intention of using the proceeds to fund the Taliban.
This past spring, the informant told agents that an Iranian-American man named Manssor Arbabsiar had asked him to help put together terror attacks in the U.S. and elsewhere, according to law-enforcement officials.
The U.S. alleges Mr. Arbabsiar, working on directions from Tehran, sought out a Mexican drug-cartel member to carry out terror attacks for money. The Iranian side was ready to pay $1.5 million to kill the ambassador, the U.S. says. Iran has called the allegations baseless.
(More here.)
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