A 46-year-old Pakistani man named Asif Merchant, with connections to the Iranian government, attempted to orchestrate a political assassination in the U.S.
This plot was investigated shortly before an assassination attempt on former President Trump at a Pennsylvania rally.
Merchant collaborated with a hit man in New York City to target high-ranking U.S. officials, including Trump, in a scheme that took place in late summer 2023, according to federal prosecutors.
“Working on behalf of others overseas, Merchant planned the murder of U.S. government officials on American soil,” said U.S. Attorney Breon Peace.
“This prosecution demonstrates that this Office and the entire U.S. Department of Justice will take swift and decisive action to protect our nation’s security, our government officials and our citizens from foreign threats.”
“Fortunately, the assassins Merchant allegedly tried to hire were undercover FBI Agents,” said Acting Assistant Director Christie Curtis of the FBI New York Field Office.
“This case underscores the dedication and formidable efforts of our agents, analysts and prosecutors in New York, Houston, and Dallas. Their success in neutralizing this threat not only prevented a tragic outcome but also reaffirms the FBI’s commitment to protecting our nation and its citizens from both domestic and international threats.”
Asif Merchant was arrested on July 12 while attempting to leave the U.S., revealing he has families in both Iran and Pakistan.
His alleged assassination plot, however, is not connected to the recent shooting incident involving former President Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Investigators indicated that the targeted individuals were not limited to Trump, raising concerns about potential retaliation from Tehran following the 2020 airstrike that killed Iranian General Qasem Soleimani.
“We have not received any reports on this matter from the U.S. Government,” the Iranian Permanent Mission to the United Nations.
“However, it is evident that the modus operandi in question contradicts the Iranian Government’s policy of legally prosecuting the murderer of General Soleimani.”
Merchant arrived in New York City from Texas in April with the goal of hiring a hit man to assassinate political figures in the U.S.
He contacted an individual who reported him to the FBI and became a confidential source.
Merchant expressed intentions to target those he believed were harming Pakistan and the Muslim world, requesting 25 men for distraction protests and a woman for reconnaissance.
He met with the source multiple times, outlining plans to steal documents from a victim’s home, organize protests at political rallies, and carry out assassinations, even suggesting that this work was ongoing and not a one-time event.
