A Pakistani national, Asif Raza Merchant, has been charged in a New York federal court over a plot to assassinate a US politician and other officials on American soil. Merchant, 46, allegedly has ties to Iran and was arrested in a “murder-for-hire” plot.
According to court documents, Merchant arrived in the US from Pakistan in April 2024 and contacted a person he believed could assist him with the scheme. He met with the person, who was actually a confidential source for US law enforcement, and discussed the plot.
Merchant allegedly planned to hire individuals to carry out the assassinations and provided them with instructions and payment. He was arrested before he could leave the US and is currently in federal custody.
The FBI Director, Christopher Wray, stated that the plot was “straight out of the Iranian playbook” and highlighted the danger of such schemes.
The Pakistani Embassy in Washington is reviewing the matter, while the Foreign Office in Islamabad has acknowledged the ongoing investigation and is awaiting further details.
#AssassinationPlot #PakistaniNational #US #Iran #FBI
