Brooklyn jury convicts Pakistani man in alleged Iran-linked plot to assassinate U.S. politicians
The Facts
- A federal jury in Brooklyn convicted Asif Merchant after a trial lasting about a week (or a week-plus) in federal court.
- Merchant was convicted on murder-for-hire and attempted terrorism (terrorism transcending national boundaries) charges.
- Prosecutors alleged the plot involved targeting U.S. political figures during the 2024 presidential campaign, including Donald Trump as a possible target.
- Authorities said the plot was foiled after Merchant was connected to an FBI informant and/or undercover law enforcement officers posing as hit men.
- Multiple outlets reported that prosecutors tied Merchant to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) or described the case as Iran-linked/Iran-backed.
- Merchant could face a life sentence (or up to life in prison) at sentencing.
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Context
Who is Asif Merchant and what was he convicted of?
Asif Merchant is a Pakistani man (reported as 47 years old in several accounts) who was convicted by a federal jury in Brooklyn of murder-for-hire and attempted terrorism transcending national boundaries related to an alleged 2024 plot to assassinate U.S. political figures. BBC WSJ CBS News
How did investigators disrupt the alleged plot?
According to trial accounts, Merchant interacted with an FBI informant and was introduced to supposed assassins who were actually undercover FBI agents, with meetings recorded as part of the investigation. Daily Mail CBS News WSJ
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Independent coverage (50)
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