"[Federal prosecutors] announced the arrests of PHYO HEIN HTUT and YE HEIN ZAW for conspiracy to assault and make a violent attack upon Myanmar’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations. HTUT and ZAW were charged in two separate complaints," the Justice Department said in a press release.
Myanmar's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Kyaw Moe Tun had denounced the military takeover of the country and sided with the government in exile.
The Justice Department said in the release that Htut and Zaw, both residing in New York, conspired their assassination plans from July to August 5.
Htut, 28, was in contact with an arms dealer in Thailand linked to Myanmar's military, the release said. The two individuals discussed plans to hire people to hurt the ambassador to force him to resign from his post or to kill him if he refused, the release said.
Zaw, 20, gave Htut about $5,000 to hire attackers to carry out the hit, the release added.
Htut and Zaw have each been charged with one count of conspiracy to assault and make a violent attack upon a foreign official, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, according to the release.