US State Department Addresses Asif Merchant Indictment
On Thursday, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller stated that Washington has not yet engaged in discussions with Islamabad regarding the indictment of Pakistani national Asif Merchant. Merchant, 46, is accused of being involved in a plot to assassinate US politicians and government officials as retaliation for the 2020 killing of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani.
According to a criminal complaint, Merchant allegedly recruited individuals in the US to carry out the plot. Prosecutors claim that Merchant traveled to Iran before coming to the US, where he faces charges of murder-for-hire in federal court in Brooklyn, New York. He has been detained since July 16, as per court records.
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During a press briefing, Miller was asked if the US had communicated with Pakistani authorities about Merchant’s case. He replied, “I don’t have any discussions to speak to today, but we have been clear that the United States will continue to do what is necessary to protect its people, including foreign officials, from threats emanating from Iran.” Miller emphasized that the matter remains under the jurisdiction of the Justice Department.
US Attorney General Merrick Garland, in a statement on August 6, highlighted the DOJ’s efforts to counter what he described as Iran’s attempts to retaliate against American officials. FBI investigators believe that former President Donald Trump and other US officials were the intended targets of the plot. However, court documents do not specify the targets.
In related news, a 20-year-old gunman recently wounded former President Trump at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, using an AR-style assault rifle. The incident occurred shortly after Trump began speaking at the event.
