US authorities said on August 6 that two Myanmar citizens have been arrested for plotting with an arms dealer in Thailand to kill or injure U Kyaw Moe Tun, who continues to serve as Myanmar's ambassador to the United Nations, Reuters reported.

Ambassador U Kyaw Moe Tun, who represents Myanmar's elected civilian government which was overthrown by the military in February, told Reuters on Wednesday that a threat had been made against him and US authorities had stepped up his security.

The US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York said on August 6 that Phyo Hein Htut, 28, and Ye Hein Zaw, 20, had 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.

Reuters also reported that Phyo Hein Htut told FBI investigators that the arms dealer in Thailand had contacted him online and offered him money to hire attackers to hurt the ambassador and force him to step down.

If the ambassador did not step down, then the arms dealer proposed that the attackers would kill him, according to the complaint. Phyo Hein Htut and the arms dealer then agreed on a plan to tamper with the ambassador's car to cause a crash.

Ye Hein Zaw contacted Phyo Hein Htut and made two money transfers totaling US$4,000 in late July, according to the complaint. Phyo Hein Htut told the FBI he was supposed to receive an additional US$1,000 after the attack was completed.

A volunteer security guard at Myanmar's U.N. mission told the FBI on August 3 that Phyo Hein Htut had told him about the plan "to hire a hitman to kill or injure the ambassador."

The complaint said Ye Hein Zaw admitted he transferred the money to Phyo Hein Htut, that he regularly sends money to others on behalf of the arms dealer and recently booked travel to the United States for two other people at the arms dealer's request, Reuters reported.