An Iranian-Pakistani national has been charged in relation to an aborted murder attempt that allegedly targeted President Trump.
Significantly, according to court records released on Tuesday, the case spurred the US government to strengthen security for former President Donald Trump and other officials.
Trump is not specifically mentioned in the criminal complaint, but insiders have told us that he was one of the intended targets of the purported scheme.
Multiple people involved with the inquiry believe that Asif Merchant, 46, conspired to kill senior figures from both political parties, including former President Donald Trump.
Before any attack could be carried out, police enforcement foiled the operation. In New York, federal authorities are presently holding Merchant, according per the FBI press release.
According to authorities, Merchant met with purported hitmen who he thought would carry out the murders but who were actually undercover law enforcement personnel. Shortly later, on July 12, he was apprehended as he was getting ready to depart the US.
Court filings claim that Merchant intended to specifically target Americans who, in his words, “are not just normal people,” and who harm Pakistan and the Muslim world.
But according to US authorities, the FBI believes that it foiled Merchant’s plan before any assault, and in the weeks following his arrest, he has aided investigators.
According to the authorities, the FBI shared intelligence with the US Secret Service about the Iranian government’s known threats against Trump, which resulted in enhanced security measures for the former president.
Prosecutors claim that when Merchant arrived in New York City in April, his intention was to hire a hit guy to carry out assassinations against US officials on US soil.
Despite being a citizen of Pakistan, authorities claim that Merchant and his family have been residing in Iran for a considerable amount of time.
After arriving in the US, Merchant supposedly made contact with someone he thought could assist with the plan to kill for hire. That individual did, however, get in touch with the FBI and start working as a confidential source with the team.
According to the prosecutor, Merchant sought to locate individuals in New York to carry out three tasks: organizing protests at political gatherings, stealing documents or USB drives from a victim’s residence, and carrying out assassinations.
Prosecutors claim that during that month, Merchant met with undercover law enforcement hitmen and instructed them to assassinate a “political person in late August or early September.” Merchant allegedly made arrangements for them to get a $5,000 advance on the murder.
