The US Justice Department on Tuesday (6/8) issued an indictment against a Pakistani man with alleged ties to Iran in connection with a political assassination on American soil.
Prosecutors in Brooklyn announced criminal charges against Asif Merchant, accusing him of traveling to New York and trying to hire a hitman to carry out his plot. The plot was foiled before it could be carried out.
Court documents do not identify any of the potential targets, but the case was opened just weeks after U.S. officials revealed that threats against Donald Trump's life from Iran prompted extra security days before a campaign rally in Pennsylvania last month, where Trump was wounded by a gunman's bullet.
The shooting, carried out by a 20-year-old man from Pennsylvania, was not related to the Iranian threat.
US officials have warned for years about Iran's desire to retaliate for the 2020 killing of Qassem Soleimani, who led Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' Quds Force. That strike was ordered by Trump.
Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement: “The Department of Justice will not allow any of its resources to be diverted and will hold accountable those who would attempt to carry out Iran's deadly plans against American citizens, and will not tolerate attempts by authoritarian regimes to target American public officials and compromise America's national security.” (th/ab)
