Asif Merchant, a Pakistani man, was charged with plotting to assassinate current and former U.S. government officials and now faces accusations of terrorism in a federal indictment. The indictment includes a murder-for-hire charge and an attempted act of terrorism charge, alleging that he attempted to kill a person within the U.S. government. The targets of his alleged plot were not named, but sources familiar with the investigation indicated that he planned to target government officials across the political spectrum, including former President Donald Trump, President Biden, and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley.
Details about Merchant’s ties to Iran are limited, with charging documents indicating that he had a wife and children in Iran and frequently traveled to Iran, Syria, and Iraq. He met with an unnamed co-conspirator-turned-FBI-informant in New York and revealed his plans to assassinate a U.S. government official. He allegedly sketched out the plot on a napkin and indicated that there would be security around the target. The informant arranged for Merchant to meet with undercover agents posing as hitmen, where he presented himself as a representative in the U.S. and discussed the plan further.
Merchant planned to provide more instructions about the plot in late August or early September 2024, including the target’s name. Federal officials arrested him in July before he could carry out the plot, finding a handwritten note with codewords for different aspects of the plan during a search. He pleaded not guilty to the original single-count complaint and remains in custody. Intelligence about his alleged plot contributed to increased security measures for former President Trump, but officials stated that there was no connection between Merchant’s plan and the assassination attempt against Trump in Pennsylvania in July.
U.S. intelligence and law enforcement officials have been investigating threats from Iran against politicians and government officials since the killing of Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani during the Trump administration. Attorney General Merrick Garland stated that the Justice Department will not tolerate Iran’s efforts to target U.S. public officials and endanger national security. Merchant’s attorney did not respond to requests for comment, and he has not been arraigned on the updated charge of terrorism. The ongoing investigation has not found evidence linking him to the shooting in Pennsylvania. CBS News reporters Andres Triay, Nicole Sganga, and Matthew Mosk contributed to the report, with Robert Legare covering the Justice Department, federal courts, and investigations.
