Federal authorities say they have jailed a Pakistani man who is accused of working on a plot to assassinate a politician “or U.S. government officials,” in an announcement that is more foreboding because of the recent attempt to shoot President Donald Trump at a Butler, Pennsylvania, rally.
That attempt, by a 20-year-old sniper who was shot and killed by police, failed. But the repercussions from the events that day already have cost the Secret Service chief her job and triggered multiple investigations into how America’s elite program to protect leaders failed so badly.
The new scheme may or may not have targeted a particular individual, but a statement from the U.S. attorney’s office in eastern New York explains a complaint was unsealed on Tuesday accusing Asif Merchant, aka “Asif Raza Merchant,” 46, of a murder-for-hire plot.
“Law enforcement foiled the charged plot before any attack could be carried out. Merchant is in federal custody in New York,” authorities reported.
The plotter allegedly was trying to repay America for the killing of Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani, a terror leader who was destroyed on the orders of Trump while he was in the White House.
U.S. Attorney Breon Peace explained, “Working on behalf of others overseas, Merchant planned the murder of U.S. government officials on American soil. This prosecution demonstrates that this office and the entire Department of Justice will take swift and decisive action to protect our nation’s security, our government officials and our citizens from foreign threats.”
FBI chief Christopher Wray added, “This dangerous murder-for-hire plot exposed in today’s charges allegedly was orchestrated by a Pakistani national with close ties to Iran and is straight out of the Iranian playbook. A foreign-directed plot to kill a public official, or any U.S. citizen, is a threat to our national security and will be met with the full might and resources of the FBI.”
According to case documents, federal authorities explained, “Merchant orchestrated a plot to assassinate a politician or U.S. government officials on U.S. soil. In approximately April 2024, after spending time in Iran, Merchant arrived in the United States from Pakistan and contacted a person he believed could assist him with the scheme. That person reported Merchant’s conduct to law enforcement and became a confidential source (the CS).”
In June Merchant met with the confidential source and said his plan was for an “ongoing” series of attacks.
“Merchant then made a ‘finger gun’ motion with his hand, indicating that the opportunity was related to a killing. Merchant further stated that the intended victims would be ‘targeted here,’ meaning in the United States. Merchant instructed the CS to arrange meetings with individuals whom Merchant could hire to carry out these actions,” the federal officials reported.
They also reported Merchant discussed how a person would die, and promised he would communicate from overseas in code.
Merchant also said he had discussed his agenda with a “party” overseas and he was told to “finalize” the plan and then leave the U.S.
Merchant later met with undercover officers to pay them $5,000 cash for the job.
A report at the Gateway Pundit said, “FBI investigators believe that the intended targets of the plot included Trump and other current and former U.S. government officials, according to a U.S. official briefed on the matter, per CNN.”
The shooter who tried to assassinate President Trump in late July, Thomas Matthew Crooks, apparently had no connection to the latest threat.
“Secret Service learned of the increased threat from this threat stream,” one official told CNN. “NSC directly contacted USSS at a senior level to be absolutely sure they continued to track the latest reporting. USSS shared this information with the detail lead, and the Trump campaign was made aware of an evolving threat. In response to the increased threat, Secret Service surged resources and assets for the protection of former President Trump.”
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