A Pakistani man named Asif Merchant has been charged in the United States for his involvement in a foiled assassination plot against American officials, which potentially included former President Donald Trump.
The 46-year-old man, who is alleged to have ties with Iran, is accused of hiring American residents to execute the plot in retaliation for the US killing of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani. Merchant has been detained in New York and charged with assassination for hire.
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While the White House has denied claims that the plot specifically targeted Donald Trump, Western media outlets have continued to report this angle.
Last month, former President Donald Trump narrowly escaped an assassination attempt during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. The shooter was neutralized by a Secret Service sniper. Investigators have found no clear ideological motives behind the attack. Subsequently, former Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned after admitting to communication failures that delayed the response to the incident.
The Pakistani Foreign Office is in contact with US authorities, seeking more details about Asif Merchant, the Pakistani national charged in the US for the foiled assassination plot.
