Asif Merchant, a Pakistani national with purported ties to Iran, was arrested last month on charges of plotting to assassinate a US politician or government official. Among those targeted was former President Donald Trump, according to sources familiar with the investigation. The US Justice Department has revealed details of the alleged murder-for-hire scheme, which has raised serious national security concerns.Alleged assassination plotThe US Justice Department reported that Asif Merchant, 46, sought to hire a hitman to carry out the assassination as retaliation for the US killing of Revolutionary Guards commander Qassem Soleimani. FBI Director Christopher Wray emphasized the gravity of the threat, stating, This dangerous murder-for-hire plot exposed in todays complaint allegedly was orchestrated by a Pakistani national with close ties to Iran and is straight out of the Iranian playbook... A foreign-directed plot to kill a public official, or any US citizen, is a threat to our national security.Who is Asif MerchantAccording to court documents, Asif Merchant was born in Karachi around 1978. He has a wife and children in Iran and another family in Pakistan. His travel records show frequent trips to Iran, Syria, and Iraq. Merchant arrived in the US from Pakistan in April 2024, where he contacted a person he believed could assist him with his assassination plans. This individual later reported Merchant to law enforcement and became a confidential source.Details of the plotIn June, Merchant met with the confidential source in New York, outlining his plan to kill a US politician or government official. The FBI disclosed that Merchant made a finger-gun motion to indicate his intent. He explained that the plot would involve multiple criminal activities, including stealing documents and organizing protests. The assassination was planned to occur after Merchants departure from the US, with communication continuing from overseas using code words.Law enforcement actionOn June 21, Merchant paid $5,000 to the supposed hitman to execute the plot. He had also arranged to leave the US on July 12. However, law enforcement agents arrested him before he could depart. The FBI confirmed that Merchant had planned to have an official killed either in the last week of August or the first week of September.
