From used car salesman to alleged assassination plotter

To US authorities, the 56-year-old naturalised US citizen is a suspect in an alleged Iranian plot to assassinate Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the United States."It was shocking because it didn't seem like he would be the type of person to do something like that," said Mitchel Hamauei, who said he met Arbabsiar through mutual Iranian friends.

"He was a happy go lucky guy, always joked around," Hamauei said. "He had a really happy demeanor."Hamauei, who runs a gyro and kebab restaurant in Corpus Christi, Texas, said the two were close enough that he attended the graduation of Arbabsiar's son.