Plot to Retaliate for Soleimani Killing: Charges Against Pakistani National
A Pakistani man, Asif Merchant, 46, has been charged in the United States with murder for hire in connection with a foiled plot to assassinate a US politician or government official. According to the Justice Department, Merchant sought to recruit individuals in the US to carry out the plot in retaliation for the 2020 killing of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards’ top commander, Qassem Soleimani. Prosecutors allege that Merchant spent time in Iran before traveling to the US. On July 16, a federal judge in Brooklyn, New York, ordered him detained.
Targeting Trump and US Officials: FBI’s Findings
FBI investigators believe that the intended targets of the plot included former President Donald Trump, who approved the drone strike on Soleimani, and other current and former US government officials, as reported by CNN citing a US official. Although court documents do not name the specific targets, the criminal complaint mentions that Merchant told a law enforcement informant about heavy security surrounding one of the targets. The Justice Department has not provided further comments, and Trump’s presidential campaign could not be reached immediately for a response.
Security Lapses at Campaign Rally: Consequences of the Attempted Assassination
In a separate but related incident, a 20-year-old gunman wounded former President Trump at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13. The attacker, armed with an AR-style assault rifle, opened fire minutes after Trump began speaking. The gunman, perched on a nearby roof, was shot dead by a Secret Service sniper within 30 seconds of firing the first shot. Two rally attendees were seriously injured, and a 50-year-old firefighter, Corey Comperatore, was killed. Investigators concluded that the assailant acted alone without clear ideological or political motivations. Following the incident, former US Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned after admitting to Congress that her agency had failed. The acting director of the US Secret Service revealed that local authorities had warned about an armed man on the roof, but communication issues prevented the warning from reaching Secret Service agents in time.
This series of events underscores the ongoing threats faced by US officials and the critical need for improved coordination among security agencies to prevent such incidents in the future.
