ISIS plot to kill George W. Bush reportedly thwarted by FBI

(NEXSTAR) — The Federal Bureau of Investigation said it thwarted an accused ISIS operative’s plot to kill former President George W. Bush, according to a recently unsealed search warrant application.

Forbes, which obtained the application, reported the Iraqi man used the anonymous messaging WhatsApp to gather possible team members to carry out the assassination. According to the FBI search-warrant application unsealed in the Southern District of Ohio, the man said the plan was to get revenge for the U.S.’ 2003 invasion of Iraq.

The warrant also indicates the man traveled to Dallas in November to scope out the Bush home, according to Forbes. The suspect, an Iraqi asylum-seeker based in Columbus, Ohio, inadvertently detailed his plan to an FBI informant in February, Bloomberg reported.

The informant reportedly drove the suspect around as he surveilled the former president’s homes and offices. During this time the FBI informant says the man said he “did not care if he died, as he would be proud to have been involved.”

The suspect also said he’d killed several Americans in Iraq between 2003 and 2006, Forbes reported. The man reportedly detailed hiding explosives for surprise attacks on U.S. soldiers.

According to the warrant, much of the suspect’s alleged plotting happened via WhatsApp, where the man reportedly asked where he could get “fraudulent police and/or FBI identifications and badges.” The warrant explains the suspect planned to infiltrate the U.S.-Mexico border to get as many as seven co-conspirators in from several countries, including Egypt and Denmark.

The suspect, who the FBI says claims to be a member of the “Al-Raed” group, hasn’t been named by media outlets yet, as no official charges have been brought. NBC News reported he has been arrested, however.

Forbes reported the U.S. Department of Justice had not provided comment on the matter as of Tuesday morning.

In a statement to Forbes, Freddy Ford, chief of staff for the Office of George W. Bush, said: “President Bush has all the confidence in the world in the United States Secret Service and our law enforcement and intelligence communities.”