(Image Source: LIFE)

BY YUTAKA HAYASHI

ANCHOR ERICA COGHILL

Two men -- one an Iranian-born American citizen -- were charged in a plot to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to the U.S. The Wall Street Journal has the details:

“The plot was essentially begun in May when they approached what they thought was a drug cartel in person in Mexico, who they believed could organize a hit squad that could carry out the assassination plot. The plot involved perhaps attacking the Saudi embassy here in the U.S. and now the authorities say they have arrested one man, the second man remains at large.”
           
According to The Daily Mail would-be terrorist Manssor Arbabsiar offered quite a bounty for this murder-for-hire, and didn’t care if innocent bystanders were hurt.

“Arbabsiar has allegedly offered $1.5 million bounty to a Mexican drug cartel for help with the assassination... [Attorney General Eric Holder said] that the suspects expressed ‘utter disregard for collateral damage’ in the planned bombings on U.S. soil.”

What’s Iran got against Saudi Arabia? An ex-CIA specialist speaking to Fox News weighs in.

“And against the Saudi, which is becoming increasingly a real thorn in the Iranian side. The Saudis have been promoting an anti-Iranian agenda as sort of a bulwark against what they see as a continued Iranian influence and meddling in the Middle East and elsewhere.”

Iran’s state-run Press TV also talked to an ex-CIA officer -- but he raises questions about the United States’ story.

“I don’t understand how an allegedly sophisticated plot to kill an ambassador would involve a drug gang from Mexico. It just doesn’t make any sense, because as you know, in the United States, it’s relatively easy to get guns and it’s relatively easy to make explosives – particularly if you are being assisted from an intelligence service from another country.”

But conservative pundit Rush Limbaugh is looking at the political implications of the news. He suggests it comes at oddly good timing for Attorney General Eric Holder, who’s in the middle of controversy over a gun-running operation gone awry.  Media Matters has that video.

“Darrell Issa is going to subpoena Eric Holder according to Sharyl Attkisson in CBS News to testify about what he knew when about Fast and Furious – they found a hundred more guns – American made guns in the possession, or American sold guns in the possession of drug cartel members in Mexico. So here comes Holder, what nice timing, give him something to distract everybody away from Fast and Furious.”

According to Australia’s News.com.au -- Iran rejects the claims, describing the allegations as a "prefabricated scenario" and a "ridiculous show".  Attorney General Eric Holder says he’s not yet accusing Iranian political leadership of involvement, but says he believes the plot did originate in Iran.