A Pakistani man with alleged ties to Iran has been arrested and charged with plotting to assassinate former President Donald Trump and several senior US government officials.
Undisclosed criminal complaint reveal Asif Merchant, 46, was charged with “contract murder” for plotting to “assassinate a politician or senior U.S. government official.” according to Press release from the Department of Justice (DOJ).
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) officials Suspect Merchant targeted President Trump and other politicians in the U.S. government.
“The Department of Justice has worked aggressively for years to counter Iran’s bold and persistent attempts to retaliate against American government officials for the killing of Iranian General Soleimani,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement, adding:
The Department of Justice will use all available tools to disrupt and hold accountable those who seek to carry out Iran’s deadly plot against American people, and we will not tolerate attempts by authoritarian regimes to target American public servants and endanger America’s national security.
According to the indictment, “following his time in Iran,” Marchant reportedly began “planning to assassinate United States government officials on U.S. soil” around April 2024.
According to the indictment, Merchant traveled to the United States to “recruit people” to help him carry out the assassination plot.
“While in the United States, Merchant contacted individuals he believed could assist him in his criminal enterprise,” the complaint continues, “who in fact reported Merchant’s activities to law enforcement and became confidential sources of information. [CS] We are working with law enforcement.”
Marchant also allegedly asked the confidential informant to help him find and hire a hit man to carry out the plan.
In early June, Merchant met with a confidential source at a hotel in Nassau County, New York, and the source was informed that there was “not a one-time opportunity, but an ongoing opportunity,” according to the lawsuit.
On or about June 3, 2024, Merchant flew from Texas to LaGuardia Airport in New York. CS picked up Merchant at the airport and drove him to a hotel in Nassau County, New York. While at the hotel, Merchant told CS that the opportunity for CS was not a one-time thing, but an ongoing one. Merchant then made a “finger gun” motion with his hand, indicating that the opportunity was related to murder. Merchant then took CS’s cell phone for security reasons and placed it in a drawer so they could discuss the plan. Merchant stated that he would give CS the details of the plan the next day, but that he needed CS to arrange a meeting for Merchant to meet with the hit man in New York.
According to the criminal complaint, Merchant later explained that the assassination plot included “three separate criminal plans.” The first was to “steal documents and USB drives from the target’s home,” the second was to “plan protests.” Merchant’s third plan was to “assassinate politicians and government officials.”
According to the criminal complaint, Marchant reportedly requested a hit man “capable of carrying out the murder,” as well as “approximately 25 people who could stage a protest to provide a distraction after the murder has occurred” and a “female ‘scout.'”
The criminal complaint states:
Merchant used the plural to indicate he was working with people overseas, and said “we” would give the hitmen instructions, including the target’s name, during the last week of August 2024 or the first week of September 2024 while Merchant was outside the United States.
According to the press release, Merchant was arrested and detained on July 12 while attempting to leave the country.
The disclosure of the criminal charges comes weeks after the attempted assassination at a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on July 13.
It has previously been reported that US authorities had received intelligence from Iran about a possible plot to assassinate President Trump, and that the number of security personnel for President Trump had been increased in response.
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