A 46-year-old Pakistani national with ties to Iran has been taken into custody in connection with a thwarted plot to assassinate a U.S. politician on American soil, the Justice Department revealed on Tuesday.
According to prosecutors, Asif Merchant, also known as Asif Raza Merchant, was apprehended after attempting to hire a hitman to carry out the murder. Law enforcement officials, utilizing undercover agents, successfully intercepted the plan before it could be executed.
FBI Director Christopher Wray condemned the plot, stating that it was a “dangerous murder-for-hire scheme” that was “straight out of the Iranian playbook.” Wray emphasized that the FBI would not tolerate foreign-directed plots to harm U.S. citizens or public officials, and would respond with the full force of its resources.
Merchant, who had previously spent time in Iran and had recently arrived in the U.S. from Pakistan, allegedly made contact with an individual he believed could facilitate the plot. However, the person he contacted was actually a confidential source who alerted law enforcement authorities.
During conversations with the source, Merchant reportedly discussed multiple illicit schemes, including the theft of sensitive documents and the organization of protests. He also spoke of the planned assassination, making a “finger gun” gesture with his hand to convey his intention to kill. Merchant claimed that he had received guidance from his overseas handlers to “finalize” the plan, and had prayed to God for clarity on whether to proceed.
According to court documents, Merchant sought details on how the target would be killed, taking into account the presence of security personnel. He also developed a set of code words to communicate with the source, instructing them not to write them down.
Investigators found that Merchant had planned to leave the country before the assassination took place, intending to communicate with the source from overseas. He had also paid $5,000 to the undercover officers, who were posing as hitmen, in mid-June.
Merchant was arrested in July and is currently in federal custody. At the time of his arrest, agents discovered a handwritten note containing the code words he had intended to use to communicate about the plot. The FBI is continuing to investigate the case.
