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Analysis: Iran case sign of U.S drugs agency's new security role

That is because the alleged plan by Iranian-American suspect Manssor Arbabsiar and a co-defendant to use a Mexican gang to kill the Saudi ambassador in Washington may have been as much conceived through a sting operation by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) as hatched by a branch of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.U.S. authorities generally do not believe that any Mexican drug cartel would currently consider leading attacks of that scope within the United States.Had Arbabsiar contacted an actual cartel member rather than a DEA agent posing as one, he might eventually have been killed, given the risks to the cartel of such an operation, according to a law enforcement official, who declined to be identified because of a lack of authorization to speak publicly on the matter.The case is as notable for the increasing involvement of America's anti-drug agency in national security investigations, including a number of such stings in recent years, as a sign of any new threat from Mexico, security experts and U.S. officials say.Some officials do point to an increase in the number of terrorism-related cases involving the DEA as proof that those seeking to attack Americans or those on American soil have contacts with drug smuggling groups.The scenario of "a state-sponsored organization planning a terrorist attack, leveraging drug cartels to perpetrate an attack that has a geopolitical impact... is precisely why the DEA really has been thrust into the thornier issues, and right into that space," said Juan Zarate, who was a national security adviser to former president George W. Bush.Still, that may be more of a scenario than a clear threat.It was a DEA informant who tipped the agency about the suspected plot of two Iranian agents trying to hire someone who had experience with explosives to assassinate the Saudi ambassador, according to court documents released on Tuesday.EXPLOSIVES-SAVVYAlarmed and intrigued at what they heard about a possible wider plot involving Iranians with government connections, DEA and FBI officers launched an elaborate investigation.But it seems to have been the informant, likely under instructions from his handlers, who decided to pose as an explosives-savvy member of the Zetas, a Mexican drug gang.The increased involvement of the DEA in national security cases stems largely from its international network of informants, experts said, and the agency's decades of experience maneuvering abroad, particularly in Latin America.The involvement of the DEA "does not necessarily mean that more terrorism cases now involve drugs, but that the agency's expertise, breadth and know-how are being used more and more in national security cases," said Karen Greenberg, director of the Center on National Security at Fordham University School of Law."While the DEA's role might not be visible when the details of a case are spelled out in an indictment, it has played an increasing role in investigations and arrests in terrorism-related cases," Greenberg said.Last year, for example, Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara combined his office's Terrorism and National Security Unit with its Narcotics Trafficking Unit.Three months ago, when announcing drug and terrorism charges against four men arrested in two separate DEA sting operations, Bharara cited the growing nexus between drug trafficking and terrorism. The men were allegedly connected to Afghanistan's Taliban and the militant Lebanese group Hezbollah.The combined drug and terrorism unit is handling Arbabsiar's prosecution. This may partially explain why he, and the four men charged in July, were brought to New York to face charges.The case of suspected Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, who is now on trial in New York, has some similarities to the suspected Arbabsiar plot.Bout was nabbed in Bangkok in 2008 in a DEA-led operation where U.S. informants posed as arms buyers from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, known as FARC.He is fighting charges of conspiring to kill U.S. nationals and conspiring to provide help to a terrorist group. At the opening of his trial on Wednesday, he argued that he never intended to provide the weapons the supposed FARC commanders offered to buy from him. His case was made infamous after he was dubbed the "Merchant of Death" in a book about him.Washington classifies the FARC, a Marxist-inspired guerrilla army, as a terrorist organization and says it is deeply involved in the cocaine trade.Both the Arbabsiar and Bout cases were sting operations involving DEA sources posing as members of a violent drug smuggling group.According to the criminal complaint unsealed on Tuesday, Arbabsiar approached an individual who eventually identified himself as a member of the Zetas cartel, and offered to pay him to kill Saudi Ambassador Adel al-Jubeir.U.S. officials say Arbabsiar was following orders by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the guardian of Iran's 32-year-old revolution, and the Quds force, its covert, operational arm.Arbabsiar is in custody. His attorney, Sabrina Shroff, has said that if her client was indicted, he would plead not guilty. She declined to comment.A second Iranian man, Gholam Shakuri, was also accused in the plot and is currently at large.Another case experts point to as a key example of DEA-led investigations is the arrest and prosecution of Syrian native Monzer Al-Kassar in 2008.Kassar, a longtime resident of Spain known as the "Prince of Marbella," was arrested after he agreed to sell weapons to DEA informants posing as member of FARC.The informants told Kassar they intended to use the weapons against U.S. forces in Colombia. Kassar was convicted at trial in Manhattan federal court in 2009 and is now serving a 30-year prison term.

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Reality star Kardashian on prenup: You do the math

Some 3.2 million viewers watched Kardashian, 30, one of the highest earning reality TV stars, wed 26 year-old Humphries in a two-part episode of "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" which aired in the United States this week.Asked on Thursday whether she had signed a pre-nuptial agreement, Kardashian said: "I don't really talk finances. My father was an attorney and I'm a smart girl -- I'd like to think so -- you can do the math."I wouldn't worry about that."Kardashian, who is in the glitzy Gulf Arab emirates for a series of promotional appearances, began dating Humphries in late 2010. The marriage is her second and his first.The newlywed, who stars with her two sisters and their mother in their eponymous TV show, is planning a foray into Bollywood and expanding her fashion business to the Middle East.Kardashian is thought to be the highest-paid reality star on U.S. television with 2010 earnings estimated at $6 million from the show and its two spinoffs, her clothing line, perfume, jewelry, tanning cream and other product endorsements and paid appearances."We've had a few offers to help us bring a store out here, to the UK, Australia, all over the place," Kardashian, clad in a sleeveless camel-colored dress and black and gold belt.

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Spanish stocks - Factors to watch on Thursday

BANKSThe Spanish government has asked the European Union not to carry out harsher stress tests on its banks. France and Germany have reportedly done the same, according to official sources cited by El Pais.Three of Spain's largest banks: Santander , BBVA and Bankia Bankia , would be among the worst faring financial institutions if harsher stress tests were carried out, website elconfidencial reported without citing a source.BANKINTERBankinter is seeking to acquire a Spanish bank after failing in its attempt to buy Belguim group KBC's private bank last week, elconfidencial.com reported citing financial sources.For today's European market outlook double click on .For real-time moves on the Spanish blue-chip index IBEX please double click onFor IBEX constituent stocks highlight .IBEX in the command box and press the F3 button on your keyboardFor latest news on Spanish stock moves double clickFor Spanish language market report double click onFor latest Eurostocks report please double click on

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TREASURIES-Prices tumble after dismal auction

* Slovakia EFSF vote could come Thursday, hopes high* Global stocks rally, investors seek riskier assetsBy Gertrude Chavez-DreyfussNEW YORK, Oct 12 (Reuters) - Treasury prices fell on Wednesday, lifting 30-year bond yields for a sixth straight session, as stocks rallied on optimism about a solution for Europe's debt crisis and after a dismal auction of 10-year notes.A $21 billion sale of 10-year notes drew weak demand, with the yield above pre-auction forecasts. The bid-to-cover ratio, a gauge of demand which compares total bids with the amount offered, was 2.23 percent, below the 12-month average.Last month's auction was awarded at 2.00 percent, the lowest yield ever, and covered 3.03 times with a 48.5 percent indirect bid.Wednesday's weak auction followed a similarly poor 1.62 billion-euro sale of German 30-year bonds earlier in the session."This is not good. It just may mean that people are a little more comfortable in the last week with risk than they were in the past week," said David Coard, head of fixed income sales and trading at Williams Capital in New York."There seems to be more comfort in the notion that the economy is not going to experience a double-dip. There's more confidence that the Europeans have the situation there under control and that's making people feel more comfortable with risk assets."The 30-year Treasury bond saw the heaviest selling, losing three points in price, pushing yields to their highest in about three weeks. Yields on 10-year notes, meanwhile, rose to roughly six-week peaks.Market participants were optimistic European leaders would move to recapitalize struggling euro zone banks and succeed in expanding the European Financial Stability Fund to aid troubled euro zone nations..Slovakia is the last of the 17 euro zone countries that needs to approve the expansion of the EFSF It may vote as early as Thursday.In early afternoon trading, 10-year yields were at 2.26 percent. Ten-year notes were last don 31/32 in price.The 30-year bond was down 2-26/32 in price and yielding 3.24 percent, up from 3.01 percent at Tuesday's close.

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TEXT-Fitch:North American financial institutions drive wider CDS

While European sovereigns saw a reprieve with spreads tightening 2%, CDS on North American financial institutions widened another 1.7%. 'The most notable underperformers were AIG and Goldman Sachs Group , which came out 13% and 9%,respectively,' said Author and Director Diana Allmendinger.Elsewhere, Germany led the CDS rally in Europe, with spreads finishing the week 12% tighter after tasting record high levels mid-week. However, 'Belgium bucked the trend and finished the week 9% wider, likely due to concerns surrounding Dexia ,' said Allmendinger.Fitch Solutions' Risk and Performance Monitor is a report that gauges CDS market sentiment and spread movement among major companies and sovereigns throughout the world on a weekly basis. The Risk and Performance Monitor is part of Fitch Solutions' Risk and Performance Platform, which provides a single point of access for CDS pricing data, market indicators of credit quality from a suite of market implied ratings models, as well as portfolio monitoring features.The 'Fitch Risk and Performance Monitor' is available by clicking on the above link.Additional insightful market data and analysis is available at 'Link to Fitch Solutions' Report: Fitch Solutions’ Risk and Performance Monitor