Ohio man charged with aiding and abetting plot to kill former President George W. Bush

DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) -- An Iraqi citizen living in Columbus, Ohio has been charged with aiding and abetting a plot to murder former United States President George W. Bush, United States Attorney Kenneth L. Parker said in a statement Tuesday.

Shihab Ahmed Shihab Shihab, 52, was arrested by the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force agents May 24 and appeared in federal court shortly after.

Shihab came to the U.S. in September 2020 on a visitor visa, and filed a claim for asylum in March 2021. He lived in both Columbus and Indianapolis where he worked at markets and restaurants, the statement said. 

The statement said Shihab allegedly planned to smuggle four other Iraqi nationals into the U.S. to kill the former president in retaliation of Iraqi deaths during "Operation Iraqi Freedom." Shihab then allegedly planned to smuggle the four out of the U.S. after the assassination through the Texas-Mexico border.

"In furtherance of the assassination plot, Shihab allegedly traveled to Dallas in February 2022 to conduct surveillance of locations associated with the former President. In March 2022, it is alleged Shihab met with others in a hotel room in Columbus, Ohio, to look at sample firearms and law enforcement uniforms."

The Office of George W. Bush since made the following statement:

"President Bush has all the confidence in the world in the United States Secret Service and our law enforcement and intelligence communities."

**This is a developing story that will be updated as new information becomes available.**