A Pakistani individual accused of planning to assassinate Donald Trump has now had been arrested and charged with terrorism, according to court documents released Tuesday.
Asif Merchant, 46, faces charges of attempting to commit terrorism that crosses international borders and of murder for hire. The documents suggest his intended target was a U.S. politician, potentially former President Donald Trump.
The court filings also reveal that some of Merchant’s property, including three cellphones (two Androids and one iPhone), a laptop, and several thousand dollars in cash, has been seized.
Merchant, a Pakistani national with family connections in Iran, was reportedly admitted to the U.S. under immigration parole, according to federal law enforcement sources.
Merchant’s alleged scheme involved two hitmen, 25 actors to stage a fake protest and create further disruption, and a woman tasked with reconnaissance.
Prosecutors claim he mistakenly hired two undercover FBI agents instead of actual assassins, though it is uncertain how much progress he made with the other participants.
Merchant also allegedly intended to steal documents and USB drives. His supposed accomplice tipped off authorities, leading to the involvement of two undercover agents posing as hitmen.
He traveled from Iran to the U.S., where he approached a confidential informant, referred to in FBI documents as “CS.” Merchant reportedly encouraged CS to start a yarn-dyed clothing business to facilitate their communication, using clothing items as code words for various parts of the plan.
According to the Justice Department, Merchant used fabric weights as coded references: T-shirts symbolized the “lightest work” (the fake protest), flannel shirts represented stealing documents, and fleece jackets indicated the “heaviest work” (murder).
Investigators revealed that Merchant’s potential targets included individuals from both political parties.
The plot aimed to target individuals at the end of August or the first week of September.
The FBI and CIA are continuing to investigate the details of the plot.
Courtesy Fox news.
