DOJ Uncovers Shocking Plot: Pakistani Man with Iranian Ties Charged in Assassination Attempt on Trump

A Pakistani man with ties to the Iranian government attempted to carry out a political assassination in the United States, a case that was investigated weeks before a gunman tried to kill former President Trump at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania.

Asif Merchant, 46, traveled to New York and worked with a hitman to carry out the assassinations in late August or early September, federal prosecutors said in a court filing. The complaint said the plot was to target senior U.S. officials, including Trump.

“On ​​behalf of others abroad, Merchant conspired to kill U.S. government officials on American soil,” said U.S. Attorney Breon Pace for the Eastern District of New York. “This allegation demonstrates that this office and the entire U.S. Department of Justice will take swift and decisive action to protect the security of our nation, our government officials, and our citizens from foreign threats.” »

Authorities said Merchant was arrested July 12 as he was preparing to leave the United States. He told investigators he had a wife and children in Iran and a wife and children in Pakistan.

“Fortunately, the killers Merchant allegedly tried to hire were undercover FBI agents,” said Christy Curtis, acting assistant director of the FBI in New York. “This case highlights the dedication and 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 underscores the FBI’s commitment to protecting our nation and its citizens from domestic and international threats.

A federal government source told Fox News Digital that Merchant’s alleged failed plot had nothing to do with Trump’s shooting in Butler, Pennsylvania. Investigators said the targets included people on “both sides,” not just Trump.

Security concerns about Trump and his former advisers have been raised over possible retaliation from Tehran following the 2020 airstrike that killed Gen. Qasem Soleimani, the commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Iran’s permanent mission to the United Nations told Fox News Digital: “We have not received any reports of this from the U.S. government. However, it is clear that the aforementioned modus operandi contradicts the Iranian government’s policy of legally prosecuting General Soleimani’s assassin. “.

U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said the Justice Department is working to confront Iran’s “brazen and relentless efforts” to retaliate against U.S. government officials for Soleimani’s killing.

“The Justice Department has filed multiple cases against individuals working on behalf of the Iranian government to lethally target Americans in the United States,” he said. “But as I said last week, we hope these threats will continue and that these cases will not be the last.”

“The Justice Department will spare no resources to disrupt and hold accountable those who carry out Iran’s murderous plot against Americans,” Garland added.

Garland continued: “I want to acknowledge that in the wake of the assassination attempt on former President Trump last month, the American people are more aware than ever of the gravity of the threats our public officials face.

“While our investigation into the attempted assassination is ongoing, as the FBI has repeatedly stated, we have found no evidence that the shooter had any accomplices or co-conspirators, foreign or domestic.

“In light of the growing public interest, I want to clarify that while our thorough investigation continues, we have found no evidence of any connection between the defendant charged in the complaint unsealed today and the attempted assassination of the former president in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13.

Prosecutors said Merchant arrived in New York from Texas in April with the intention of hiring a hitman to kill political figures in the United States. He contacted someone he thought could help him, but the person contacted the FBI and began working for the agency as a confidential source, according to court documents.

According to court documents, Merchant told the source, “The people who will be targeted are those who are harming Pakistan and the world, the Muslim world. These are not ordinary people.” He asked for 25 men who could organize a protest to distract attention after a murder, and one woman to do “reconnaissance.”

He allegedly met with the source multiple times and told her he wanted her to do three things: steal documents or USB drives from a victim’s home, plan protests at political rallies, and commit assassinations. In one meeting, he allegedly told the source that the job was not a one-time opportunity and made a “gun” motion with his hand.

During one meeting, Merchant talked about the “group” he was working with at his home while planning several scenarios. He also used coded language to communicate his plans, saying that the “shirt” meant “protest,” which he described as “the lightest act,” according to court documents.

“Flannel shirt” means “robbery,” which is a “heavier job,” and “wool jacket,” the heaviest job, means “the third task…to commit the act of gambling,” suggesting assassinations.

The phrase “denim jacket” refers to “sending money.” Merchant reportedly met with undercover law enforcement officers and said he wanted to commit the murder in the last week of August or the first week of September. Authorities said he paid a $5,000 down payment.

In 2022, the United States indicted a 45-year-old member of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard who offered to pay someone $300,000 to kill former White House national security adviser John Bolton. The suspect also reportedly intended to target former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.