A Pakistani national with alleged ties to the Iranian government has been accused of conspiring to carry out political assassinations on American soil.
Federal prosecutors in Brooklyn on Tuesday unsealed a criminal complaint against Asif Merchant, who faces a murder-for-hire charge.
Merchant allegedly traveled to New York and met with undercover agents posing as assassins to discuss the conspiracy, providing a $5,000 advance. Merchant said the conspiracy would be “ongoing,” not a “one-time opportunity,” and made a “‘finger gun’ motion” with his hand to indicate it would involve murder, according to the complaint.
In a statement, Attorney General Merrick Garland linked the foiled plot to Iran’s “brazen and relentless efforts” to exact revenge on American public officials for the 2020 assassination of Iranian general Qassem Soleimani.
Soleimani was killed on the orders of US authorities during former President Trump’s administration. Reports emerged Shortly after an assassination attempt on Trump’s life at a rally in Pennsylvania last month, his security detail was increased following reports that Tehran was planning an assassination attempt on Trump in retaliation.
The Iranian regime denied such reports at the time.
Merchant was arrested on July 12, the day before Trump was shot at his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
“The Department of Justice will spare no resources to disrupt and hold accountable those who seek to carry out Iran’s lethal plot against American citizens, and will not tolerate attempts by an authoritarian regime to target American public officials and endanger America’s national security.” , said Garland. in your statement.
Court documents show Merchant was arrested last month.
This story originally appeared on thehill.com read the full story
