The Justice Department has charged a Pakistani man with alleged ties to the Iranian government for seeking to carry out political assassinations, as revealed in an indictment unsealed by federal prosecutors in Brooklyn, New York. The case has led to increased security measures for President Donald Trump and other US officials.
The accused, Asif Merchant, 46, is said to have traveled to New York City and collaborated with a hitman to carry out the assassinations in late August or early September. Merchant was apprehended on July 12 while preparing to leave the United States after meeting with individuals he believed to be hitmen but were actually undercover law enforcement officers.
The FBI, which investigated the alleged murder-for-hire plot, believes that Trump and other current and former US government officials were the intended targets. However, there is no evidence linking Merchant to the recent assassination attempt on a former president in Pennsylvania.
Authorities state that the FBI thwarted Merchant's plot before any attack could occur. Following his arrest, Merchant has been cooperating with investigators. Due to known threats from the Iranian government against Trump, the FBI shared intelligence with the US Secret Service, resulting in increased security protection for the former president.
