The authorities in the USA have apparently foiled an attack on former US President George W. Bush. The suspect is said to have already scouted out his residence.
Security authorities in the US have arrested an Iraqi with ties to the jihadist group Islamic State (IS) for allegedly planning an assassination attempt on former US President George W. Bush. The 52-year-old is accused of “aiding and encouraging a conspiracy to assassinate former US President George W. Bush,” an Ohio state attorney said on Tuesday.
Iraq war under George W. Bush possible motive
The motive was therefore the US invasion of Iraq under Bush in 2003. The 52-year-old is said to have justified his plan by saying that Bush was “responsible for the killing of many Iraqis and the destruction of all of Iraq,” CNN quoted court documents as saying. The man had apparently made arrangements to fly in several assassins from the Middle East. He also sounded out where he could buy weapons and police uniforms. Two anonymous FBI sources started the investigation.
In February, prosecutors said the suspect traveled to a Bush home in Texas to take photos. In early March, an FBI mole is said to have shown the man weapons and police uniforms, which he also photographed.
The suspect is said to have told one of the FBI whistleblowers that he wanted to bring men into the country who were “not clean”. He also claimed to be a cousin of the killed IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and to have “killed numerous Americans in Iraq between 2003 and 2006”.
Suspect entered US legally in 2020
A source further told the FBI that the suspect said two former members of Iraqi intelligence were to direct the assassination. They were to receive support from IS members and a group called “Al-Raed,” to which he said he belonged. This should be based in Qatar. The men should therefore enter and exit the USA illegally via the border with Mexico.
The suspect himself entered the United States legally in 2020 before seeking asylum. According to the prosecutor, the suspect also promised to help a supposed fellow countryman with immigration for a fee. However, it was an undercover operation by the FBI.
After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, a few months after Bush took office, the United States launched a “war on terror.” The 2003 war in Iraq followed the invasion of Afghanistan. Bush remained US President until 2009.
