Pakistani National's Plot to Assassinate Trump Foiled by FBI Informant: DOJ

NEWS HEADLINE : Pakistani National's Plot to Assassinate Trump Foiled by FBI Informant: DOJ News:- A Pakistani national with ties to Iran was arrested last month for plotting to assassinate former President Donald Trump and other officials, according to a complaint unsealed in Brooklyn federal court. Sources say Trump was a primary target. Asif Merchant, 46, allegedly flew from Pakistan to the U.S. to recruit hitmen, but his contact turned out to be an FBI informant. Merchant is charged with murder for hire. He allegedly sought 25 men for a distraction protest and a woman for reconnaissance. Merchant even paid $5,000 to undercover agents posing as hitmen before planning to leave the country. Attorney General Merrick Garland emphasized the DOJ's commitment to countering Iran's threats against American officials. "For years, the Justice Department has been working aggressively to counter Iran's brazen and unrelenting efforts to retaliate against American public officials for the killing of Iranian General Soleimani," Garland said. "The Justice Department will spare no resource to disrupt and hold accountable those who would seek to carry out Iran's lethal plotting against American citizens and will not tolerate attempts by an authoritarian regime to target American public officials and endanger America's national security." In April, Merchant arrived from Iran and contacted someone to help with his plot, according to officials. The person ended up being a confidential source who reported the information to law enforcement, according to the Justice Department. Merchant allegedly again met up with the source in early June and explained the assassination plot and said it was "not a one-time opportunity," officials said. By mid-June, he met up with the people he thought would carry out the hits -- but who were actually undercover law enforcement officials, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. Merchant even paid the apparent hitmen $5,000 as an advance on the assassinations before making plans to leave the country when the killings took place, officials said. Instead, he was arrested on July 12, the date he planned to leave the U.S. Investigators have not found any links between Merchant's plot and Thomas Crooks, who was killed after attempting to assassinate Trump at the rally. The arrest may explain some last-minute adjustments to rally security. Pat Young, head of the Beaver County Emergency Services Unit, mentioned, "We were initially told there would be no Secret Service snipers, but that changed suddenly, raising alarm bells for our team." Your Queries:- Trump Assassination Plot DOJ FBI National Security Trump US Security Disclaimer - Video is for educational purpose only. Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favour of fair use. #news #USA #video #trending # trump #USAVision