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The Justice Department has charged Asif Merchant, a 46-year-old Pakistani national with alleged links to the Iranian government, for plotting political assassinations targeting former President Donald Trump and other US officials. As CNN reports, the charges, unveiled Tuesday, prompted heightened security for Trump and other officials.
Merchant, who was arrested on July 12 while preparing to leave the US, allegedly collaborated with undercover law enforcement posing as hitmen to execute the plot in late August or early September. He was apprehended after meeting with individuals he believed would carry out the murders but who were actually FBI agents.
Court documents reveal Merchant aimed to target US figures he believed were detrimental to Pakistan and the Muslim world. The FBI intervened before any attack occurred, and Merchant has been cooperating with investigators. However, he denied cooperating, calling the claim inaccurate.
The case adds to ongoing concerns about Iranian attempts to retaliate for the 2020 US drone strike that killed Iranian General Qasem Soleimani. US officials have warned of potential Iranian retribution against Trump or his advisers. Iran’s Permanent Mission to the UN has denied involvement in the alleged plot.
Merchant, who had spent time in Iran and has family there, allegedly used coded language to discuss the plot, including terms for protests and thefts. Prosecutors say he planned to flee before the attack but was arrested in time to prevent it.
[Information sourced from CNN]
