A Pakistani national, Asif Merchant (47), accused of plotting to assassinate US political figures, told a federal jury in Brooklyn that he was coerced by Iranian operatives into the alleged plan. Merchant said he agreed to participate only because his family was threatened, and he feared for their safety if he refused.
Merchant faces charges including terrorism and murder-for-hire in connection with a 2024 plot. Prosecutors allege he attempted to recruit individuals in the US to carry out the attacks, offering $5,000 to people he believed were hitmen. In reality, the supposed recruits were undercover FBI agents, who monitored his actions closely.
According to Merchant, he was first contacted by Iranian operatives in late 2022 or early 2023, initially for money laundering and sanction-evasion tasks. Later, his handler, identified as Mehrdad Yousef, associated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), instructed him to find someone capable of committing violent acts in the US, including assassination.
Merchant said the alleged targets were Donald Trump, Joe Biden, and Nikki Haley. At the time, Trump and Biden were central figures in the 2024 presidential race, and Haley had recently ended her campaign. Merchant testified that he never expected the plan to succeed and believed he would be arrested before any attack could occur.
Authorities captured Merchant in July 2024, after surveillance revealed discussions about the plot. While he claims coercion, prosecutors argue there is insufficient evidence to prove he acted under duress. If convicted, Merchant could face life imprisonment.
The case has drawn attention amid rising tensions between the US and Iran, with Tehran denying any involvement in assassination schemes against American officials. Legal experts say the trial raises complex questions about coercion, intent, and international influence in criminal plots.
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