As George Bush was on his way to Kuwait City in April of 1993, 14 suspects were being arrested by Kuwaiti officials for planning his assassination. They were supposedly preparing to place a car bomb near where the President would be giving a speech.
Of the fourteen, eleven were Iraqi nationals. One of the men confessed to the plan saying that he was forced to comply by high ranking officials in the Iraqi government. His refusal would have meant the systematic murder of his family.
Investigations by the FBI and CIA ensued. They confirmed that the plan was known by the Iraqi intelligence and had support from Saddam Hussein, the leader of Iraq. Clinton and Congress ordered a missile attack on the Iraq capital. The missiles were aimed at the Intelligence office but missed. They killed several civilians and caused other property damage.
The bombing was immediately rebuked by Iraq and Iran, but received praise from the United Nations security council and from Moscow.
All fourteen were tried on charges of attempted murder. Eleven were convicted and seven have been ordered to be put to death by firing squad.
