Man convicted in U.S. political assassination plot he tied to Iranian paramilitary

"Asif Merchant acknowledged in a U.S. court that he sought to put an assassination in motion during the 2024 presidential campaign - a plot that was quickly disrupted by American investigators before it had a chance to proceed. A jury in Brooklyn convicted Merchant on terrorism and murder for hire charges."

"In remarkable testimony in a New York federal court, Merchant said he was carrying out instructions from a contact in the Islamic Republic's powerful paramilitary Revolutionary Guard. According to Merchant, the handler never specified a target but broached names including then-candidate Donald Trump, then-President Joe Biden and Nikki Haley."

"Merchant told the supposed hit men he needed services that could include killing 'some political person' and paid them $5,000 in cash in a parked car in Manhattan. After showing an acquaintance what he had in mind by using objects on a napkin to depict a shooting at a rally, Merchant was introduced to two supposed assassins - actually undercover FBI agents."

Asif Merchant, a 47-year-old Pakistani business owner, was convicted in Brooklyn federal court on terrorism and murder for hire charges. He attempted to hire assassins to kill a U.S. politician during the 2024 presidential campaign. Merchant was introduced to two undercover FBI agents posing as hit men and paid them $5,000 in cash. He testified that he was following instructions from an Iranian Revolutionary Guard contact who provided countersurveillance training and gave him the assassination assignment. The handler allegedly mentioned potential targets including Donald Trump, Joe Biden, and Nikki Haley, though no specific target was designated. Merchant claimed he felt compelled to comply to protect family members in Iran. The Iranian government has denied involvement in assassination attempts against U.S. officials.

Read at ABC7 Los Angeles