According to the US Department of Justice Iran Asif Raza Merchant, a Pakistani national with alleged ties to the US, was indicted in the US on Wednesday on charges of conspiracy to kill a US official.
Released on the Department of Justice website on September 11 expression According to: ‘Asif Merchant was charged yesterday with conspiracy to kill a politician or US government official on US soil, to commit an act of terrorism across national borders and to act as a hired killer. was imposed.’
It added that ‘law enforcement agencies foiled the plot before any attack could take place.’
According to the statement, Asif Merchant was arrested in July 2024 and a case was registered against him. He was ordered taken into custody and is currently in federal custody.
Commenting on the matter, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said: ‘The Department of Justice will not tolerate Iran’s efforts to target our nation’s public officials and threaten our national security. As evidenced by the terrorism and murder charges against Asif Merchant, we will continue to hold accountable those who seek to carry out Iran’s deadly conspiracy against American citizens.’
On the other hand, FBI director Christopher Wray said: ‘This dangerous assassination plot was allegedly prepared by a Pakistani national with close ties to Iran and is in line with the strategy of the Iranian government. A foreign-directed plot to assassinate a government official or any American citizen is a serious threat to our national security and will be combated with the full force and resources of the FBI. Protecting Americans from terrorists is our top priority.’
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On August 6, 2024, when Asif Merchant did America When the news of the arrest came out, the Pakistani Foreign Office said that they are in touch with Washington in this regard.
Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said in a statement: ‘We have seen the media reports. We are in touch with the US authorities and await further details.’
He added: ‘We have noted the statements of the US officials. The matter is still under investigation. We also need to know for sure about the person’s background and past before giving our official response.’
The Associated Press previously reported that court documents did not identify any potential targets of Asif Merchant, but U.S. officials acknowledged in July that Iran had used former president and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump as a target. Additional security was provided days before the rally in Pennsylvania in view of the threat to Trump’s life. In this rally, Trump was injured by a gunman.
A law enforcement official said the July 13 shooting of a 20-year-old Pennsylvania man was unrelated to the threat from Iran, and the arrest of Asif Merchant was unrelated to the attempted assassination of Trump. , but an FBI agent’s affidavit suggests Asif Merchant had current or former high-level officials like Trump in mind.
US officials have warned for years that Iran is seeking revenge for the 2020 killing of Qasem Soleimani, head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Quds Force. The attack was ordered by Trump when he was president. The U.S. government has since paid for security for several Trump administration officials, and in 2022 the Justice Department indicted Shahram Poursafi, an Iranian operative who remains at large, in connection with the botched plot to assassinate Bolton. The Department of Justice says that he offered to pay three hundred thousand dollars to a man in the United States to kill John Bolton.
On the issue of the arrest of Asif Merchant, Iran’s mission to the United Nations said in August that “it has not received any report on this from the US government.”
In a statement carried by Iran’s state news agency IRNA, the mission said: “But it is clear that this procedure is against the Iranian government’s policy of pursuing the killer of Qassem Soleimani.”
Details of allegations against Asif Merchant
According to the allegations in the complaint and related publicly filed court documents, Asif Merchant planned to kill a politician or a US government official on US soil.
According to the description released on the US Department of Justice website: ‘In April 2024, after spending time in Iran, Asif Merchant arrived in the United States from Pakistan and contacted a person he believed to be the Can help them in the project. This person reported Asif Merchant’s behavior to the law enforcement agencies and became a Confidential Source (CS).
In early June, Asif Merchant met CS in New York and explained the assassination plot. Asif Merchant told CS that the work he had for CS was not a one-time job and would continue. Merchant then made a ‘finger gun’ gesture with his hand, indicating that it was an act of killing.
Asif Merchant added that the intended victims would be “targeted here” in the US. He directed the CS to arrange meetings with the persons whose services Asif Merchant could engage to carry out these operations.
Asif Merchant explained that his plan involved several criminal schemes: (1) stealing documents or USB drives from the target’s home, (2) planning protests and (3) impersonating a politician or government official. Officer’s murder.
‘In this meeting, Asif Merchant started planning possible assassination scenarios and questioned the CS on how he would kill a target under different circumstances. Specifically, Asif Merchant asked CS to explain how a target would die in various scenarios. He told the CS that the man would be ‘surrounded by security.’
Asif Merchant said the killing would take place after he left the US and that he would communicate with the CS from abroad using code words. CS asked if the merchant had spoken to an unknown ‘party’ in his country, with whom he was dealing. Asif Merchant replied that he had spoken and the Malik party asked him to ‘finalize’ the plan and leave America.
In mid-June, Asif Merchant met with the alleged killers, who were actually US law enforcement undercover (UC) officers in New York. He told the USCIS that he wanted three jobs from him: stealing documents, organizing protests at political rallies and killing a ‘political figure’ for him. Asif Merchant said that after they leave the US, the hitmen will receive instructions on who to kill in the last week of August or the first week of September.
‘Asif Merchant then began to arrange a means of obtaining five thousand dollars in cash to pay the UCs as a prepayment for the murder, which he eventually obtained with the help of an individual abroad.
On June 21, Asif Merchant met UCS in New York and paid them five thousand dollars in advance.
“After Asif paid five thousand dollars to the UCs, one of the UCs said ‘we are bound now’ to which the merchant replied ‘yes’. UC then said, ‘Now we know we have to move on. We will, to which the merchant replied ‘Yes, of course.’
‘Merchant then made arrangements for the vessel and intended to depart the United States on Friday 12 July 2024. On July 12, law enforcement agents arrested Merchant before he left the country.
Asif Merchant said that he has a wife and children in Iran and a wife and children in Pakistan. The FBI is investigating the matter.’
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah K. Wink, Gilbert Raine and Douglas Pravda for the Eastern District of New York and trial attorneys David Smith and Joshua Champagne of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case, according to a press release.
A criminal complaint is merely an accusation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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#Accused #plotting #assassination #American #figure #Pakistani #indicted
2024-09-13 03:06:13
What evidence did the US Department of Justice present to support the charge against Asif Raza Merchant for plotting to assassinate a US official?
Table of Contents
Iran-Linked Pakistani National Charged in Foiled Plot to Assassinate US Official
In a recent development, the US Department of Justice has charged Asif Raza Merchant, a 46-year-old Pakistani national with alleged ties to Iran, with conspiracy to kill a US official [[2]]. According to the indictment, Merchant sought to hire a hitman to assassinate a politician or US government official on US soil [[1]][[2]]. The foiled plot is a stark reminder of the threats posed by Iran’s agents operating in the United States.
The Foiled Plot
Law enforcement agencies intercepted the plot before it could be carried out, and Merchant was arrested in July 2024 [[3]]. He was subsequently charged with conspiracy to commit an act of terrorism transcending national borders and to act as a hired killer [[2]]. The alleged plot is a clear example of Iran’s efforts to target US public officials and threaten national security.
Statements from US Officials
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland emphasized the Department of Justice’s commitment to holding accountable those who seek to carry out Iran’s deadly conspiracy against American citizens [[2]]. FBI Director Christopher Wray reiterated the gravity of the threat, stating that a foreign-directed plot to assassinate a government official or any American citizen is a serious threat to national security [[2]].
Pakistani Foreign Office Response
Following the news of Merchant’s arrest, the Pakistani Foreign Office stated that they were in touch with the US authorities and awaiting further details [[2]]. The Foreign Office spokesperson, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, emphasized that the matter was still under investigation and that they needed to know more about Merchant’s background and past before providing an official response [[2]].
Iran’s History of Revenge Plots
The alleged plot is not an isolated incident. US officials have warned for years that Iran is seeking revenge for the 2020 killing of Qasem Soleimani, head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Quds Force [[2]]. The US government has since paid for security for several Trump administration officials, and in 2022, the Justice Department indicted Shahram Poursafi, an Iranian operative who remains at large, in connection with a botched plot to assassinate John Bolton [[2]].
Conclusion
The foiled plot to assassinate a US official highlights the ongoing threat posed by Iran’s agents operating in the United States. The Department of Justice’s swift action in charging Merchant sends a strong message that such plots will not be tolerated. As the US continues to counter Iran’s malicious activities, it is essential to remain vigilant and proactive in protecting American citizens and public officials.
References:
[1] https://www.arabnews.com/node/2570987
[2] https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/pakistani-national-ties-iran-charged-connection-foiled-plot-assassinate-politician-or-us-0
[3] https://www.justice.gov/usao-edny/pr/pakistani-national-ties-iran-charged-connection-foiled-plot-assassinate-politician-or
What is the background of Asif Raza Merchant regarding his alleged ties to Iran and the recent assassination plot against a US official?
Pakistani National with Alleged Ties to Iran Charged in Foiled Plot to Assassinate US Official
In a recent development, the US Department of Justice has indicted Asif Raza Merchant, a Pakistani national with alleged ties to Iran, on charges of conspiracy to kill a US official. The charges were filed on September 11, 2024, and Merchant is currently in federal custody [2[2].
According to the complaint and related court documents, Merchant planned to assassinate a politician or US government official on US soil. He allegedly sought to hire a hitman to carry out the killing, and his plan involved several criminal schemes, including stealing documents and committing acts of terrorism [3[3].
Merchant was arrested in July 2024, and law enforcement agencies were able to foil the plot before any attack could take place. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland stated that the Department of Justice will not tolerate Iran’s efforts to target US public officials and threaten national security. FBI Director Christopher Wray added that the plot is a serious threat to national security and will be combated with full force and resources [1[1].
It is worth noting that Iran has been seeking revenge for the 2020 killing of Qasem Soleimani, head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Quds Force, which was ordered by former President Donald Trump. The US government has since paid for security for several Trump administration officials, and in 2022, the Justice Department indicted an Iranian operative in connection with a botched plot to assassinate John Bolton.
The Pakistani Foreign Office has stated that they are in touch with Washington regarding the arrest of Asif Merchant and are awaiting further details. Iran’s mission to the United Nations has denied receiving any report on the matter from the US government
