Block, SkipCaptcha, Upload, Automoderated users, edit, Moderators, protect
27,867
edits
Changes
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
Created page with "'''Asif Merchant''', Islamic Pakistani National, arrested for onvolvement in the Islamic Republic of Iran's plot to assassinate Donald Trump.<ref>Eric Tucker,..."
'''Asif Merchant''', [[Islam]]ic [[Pakistani]] National, arrested for onvolvement in the Islamic Republic of [[Iran]]'s plot to assassinate [[Donald Trump]].<ref>Eric Tucker, [https://apnews.com/article/iran-pakistan-murderforhire-trump-justice-department-5a3abe0895ae7c2be14f89fc4e49bc53 Pakistani man with ties to Iran is charged in plot to carry out political assassinations on US soil] 'Associated Press'', August 7, 2024.
<blockquote><small>
WASHINGTON (AP) — A Pakistani man alleged to have ties to Iran has been charged in a plot to carry out political assassinations on U.S. soil, including potentially of former President Donald Trump.
The case disclosed by the Justice Department on Tuesday comes two years after officials disrupted a separate scheme that they said was aimed at former Trump administration national security adviser John Bolton.
Asif Merchant traveled to New York in June for the purpose of meeting with men he thought he was recruiting to carry out the killings, even paying a $5,000 advance to two would-be assassins who were actually undercover law enforcement officers, federal officials said. He was arrested in July as he prepared to leave the United States, after having told the men that he would provide further instructions, including the names of the intended targets, in August or September after he returned to Pakistan.</small></blockquote></ref><ref>Robert Legare, Nicole Sganga, Andres Triay, [https://www.cbsnews.com/news/pakistani-iran-murder-plot-u-s-officials/ U. S. charges Pakistani with alleged Iran ties in murder-for-hire plot against Trump, U.S. officials] ''CBS News'', August 7, 2024</ref>
[[File:Asif Merchant.jpg|thumb|This image provided by the Justice Department, contained in the complaint supporting the arrest warrant, shows Asif Merchant. The Pakistani man alleged to have ties to Iran has been charged in a plot to carry out political assassinations on U.S. soil, the Justice Department said Aug. 6, 2024. (Justice Department via AP)]]
On Aug 6, 2024<ref>[https://www.justice.gov/usao-edny/pr/pakistani-national-ties-iran-charged-connection-foiled-plot-assassinate-politician-or Pakistani National with Ties to Iran Charged in Connection with Foiled Plot to Assassinate a Politician or U.S. Government Officials] DOJ, August 6, 2024</ref>:
{{Quotebox|
a complaint was unsealed charging Asif Merchant, also known as “Asif Raza Merchant,” 46, with murder-for-hire as part of a scheme to assassinate a politician or U.S. government officials on U.S. soil. Law enforcement foiled the charged plot before any attack could be carried out. Merchant is in federal custody in New York.}}
==Timeline==
Timeline of events leading to Merchant's arrest:<ref>[https://www.business-standard.com/amp/world-news/who-is-asif-merchant-pak-national-charged-with-us-assassination-plots-124080701025_1.html Who is Asif Merchant: Pak national charged with US assassination plots] Business Standard (In). Aug 7, 2024</ref>
*April 2024: Merchant, after spending time in Iran, arrived in the US from Pakistan and sought assistance from an individual who later became a confidential source for law enforcement.
*Early June 2024: Merchant outlined his assassination plot during a meeting with the confidential source, indicating that the targets were in the United States.
*Mid-June 2024: Merchant met with individuals he believed were hitmen, who were actually undercover FBI agents. He discussed various criminal activities, including theft and assassination, and arranged to pay $5,000 in cash as an advance for the services.
*June 21, 2024: Merchant delivered the advance payment.
*July 12, 2024: Merchant planned to leave the US one day before the intended assassination attempt on Trump. However, law enforcement intervened and arrested him.
==Personal==
According to the court documents, Merchant is a citizen of Pakistan. Born in Karachi, in approximately 1978 and stated to law enforcement that he currently resides in Pakistan. He also stated that he has a family in Pakistan, a wife and children, and another in Iran. He has frequently traveled to Iran, [[Syria]] and [[Iraq]].<ref>United States Department of Justice (.gov) .Complaint. [https://www.justice.gov/usao-edny/media/1362826/dl PDF]</ref>
==See also==
*[[Thomas Crooks]]
==References==
{{reflist|2}}
[[Category:United States Presidential Election, 2024]]
[[Category:Donald Trump]]
[[Category:Iran]]
[[Category:2020s]]
[[Category:Islamism]]
<blockquote><small>
WASHINGTON (AP) — A Pakistani man alleged to have ties to Iran has been charged in a plot to carry out political assassinations on U.S. soil, including potentially of former President Donald Trump.
The case disclosed by the Justice Department on Tuesday comes two years after officials disrupted a separate scheme that they said was aimed at former Trump administration national security adviser John Bolton.
Asif Merchant traveled to New York in June for the purpose of meeting with men he thought he was recruiting to carry out the killings, even paying a $5,000 advance to two would-be assassins who were actually undercover law enforcement officers, federal officials said. He was arrested in July as he prepared to leave the United States, after having told the men that he would provide further instructions, including the names of the intended targets, in August or September after he returned to Pakistan.</small></blockquote></ref><ref>Robert Legare, Nicole Sganga, Andres Triay, [https://www.cbsnews.com/news/pakistani-iran-murder-plot-u-s-officials/ U. S. charges Pakistani with alleged Iran ties in murder-for-hire plot against Trump, U.S. officials] ''CBS News'', August 7, 2024</ref>
[[File:Asif Merchant.jpg|thumb|This image provided by the Justice Department, contained in the complaint supporting the arrest warrant, shows Asif Merchant. The Pakistani man alleged to have ties to Iran has been charged in a plot to carry out political assassinations on U.S. soil, the Justice Department said Aug. 6, 2024. (Justice Department via AP)]]
On Aug 6, 2024<ref>[https://www.justice.gov/usao-edny/pr/pakistani-national-ties-iran-charged-connection-foiled-plot-assassinate-politician-or Pakistani National with Ties to Iran Charged in Connection with Foiled Plot to Assassinate a Politician or U.S. Government Officials] DOJ, August 6, 2024</ref>:
{{Quotebox|
a complaint was unsealed charging Asif Merchant, also known as “Asif Raza Merchant,” 46, with murder-for-hire as part of a scheme to assassinate a politician or U.S. government officials on U.S. soil. Law enforcement foiled the charged plot before any attack could be carried out. Merchant is in federal custody in New York.}}
==Timeline==
Timeline of events leading to Merchant's arrest:<ref>[https://www.business-standard.com/amp/world-news/who-is-asif-merchant-pak-national-charged-with-us-assassination-plots-124080701025_1.html Who is Asif Merchant: Pak national charged with US assassination plots] Business Standard (In). Aug 7, 2024</ref>
*April 2024: Merchant, after spending time in Iran, arrived in the US from Pakistan and sought assistance from an individual who later became a confidential source for law enforcement.
*Early June 2024: Merchant outlined his assassination plot during a meeting with the confidential source, indicating that the targets were in the United States.
*Mid-June 2024: Merchant met with individuals he believed were hitmen, who were actually undercover FBI agents. He discussed various criminal activities, including theft and assassination, and arranged to pay $5,000 in cash as an advance for the services.
*June 21, 2024: Merchant delivered the advance payment.
*July 12, 2024: Merchant planned to leave the US one day before the intended assassination attempt on Trump. However, law enforcement intervened and arrested him.
==Personal==
According to the court documents, Merchant is a citizen of Pakistan. Born in Karachi, in approximately 1978 and stated to law enforcement that he currently resides in Pakistan. He also stated that he has a family in Pakistan, a wife and children, and another in Iran. He has frequently traveled to Iran, [[Syria]] and [[Iraq]].<ref>United States Department of Justice (.gov) .Complaint. [https://www.justice.gov/usao-edny/media/1362826/dl PDF]</ref>
==See also==
*[[Thomas Crooks]]
==References==
{{reflist|2}}
[[Category:United States Presidential Election, 2024]]
[[Category:Donald Trump]]
[[Category:Iran]]
[[Category:2020s]]
[[Category:Islamism]]