A Pakistani man, Asif Raza Merchant, was charged in a New York federal court on Tuesday for planning to kill a US politician and other officials in the United States. He is accused of having connections to Iran and being involved in a “murder-for-hire” scheme. He is in federal custody in New York.
CNN reported that the targets included former President Donald Trump and other officials, but the White House clarified that this case was not related to the assassination attempt against Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Merchant, 46, from Karachi, Pakistan, has family ties in both Pakistan and Iran. FBI Director Christopher Wray described the plot as being inspired by Iranian tactics.
Court documents revealed that Merchant arrived in the US from Pakistan in April 2024 after spending time in Iran. He contacted someone he believed could help with his plan, but this person informed law enforcement and became a confidential source.
In June, Merchant met with the source in New York, discussing his plan to kill US officials. He indicated that there would be multiple opportunities to carry out the plot and used a “finger gun” gesture to signify killing. He instructed the source to find people to help with the assassinations and began discussing various scenarios for the murders.
Merchant also met with undercover US law enforcement officers posing as hitmen. He asked them to steal documents, organize protests at political rallies, and kill a “political person.” He promised them instructions on who to kill by late August or early September, after he had left the US. Merchant arranged to pay the hitmen $5,000 in advance, which he received with help from someone overseas.
He planned to leave the US on July 12 but was arrested before he could depart.
The Pakistani Embassy in Washington is reviewing the situation and has not yet commented. Pakistan’s Foreign Office in Islamabad stated that they are in contact with US authorities and are awaiting more details before making a formal response.
