The United States has charged a Pakistani man with plotting to carry out political assassinations, allegedly linked to Iran’s desire for retaliation over the 2020 killing of General Qassem Soleimani.
Asif Merchant, who reportedly spent time in Iran before travelling to the US from Pakistan, was arrested in July and charged with murder for hire in a federal court in Brooklyn, New York. According to the US Justice Department, Merchant came to New York in June seeking to hire a hitman to kill a politician or US government
Prosecutors allege that Merchant was involved in a broader scheme intended to retaliate against American public officials for the killing of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani. The plot was part of what Attorney General Merrick Garland described as “Iran’s brazen and unrelenting efforts” to target U.S. officials.
For years, the Justice Department has been working aggressively to counter Iran’s attempts to retaliate against American public officials,” Garland said in a statement. The efforts to foil this and similar plots underscore the ongoing threat posed by foreign actors seeking to harm U.S. interests.
Despite the serious nature of the allegations, authorities have found no evidence linking Merchant to the July 13 assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Merchant’s lawyer, Avraham Moskowitz, declined to comment when contacted by the Associated Press.
The case remains under investigation as authorities continue to assess the extent of the plot and identify any additional individuals who may be involved.
