(Fox) A Pakistani national with alleged close ties to Iran pleaded not guilty on Monday to charges accusing him of plotting to have U.S. politicians assassinated on U.S. soil.
Asif Merchant, also known as “Asif Raza Merchant,” pleaded not guilty at his arraignment in Brooklyn federal court in New York on Monday.
He was indicted Sept. 10 with attempting to commit an act of terrorism transcending national boundaries and murder-for-hire as part of a scheme to assassinate a politician or U.S. government official on U.S. soil.
Merchant allegedly paid undercover agents to execute his plan for the assassinations. Though the indictment does not name any alleged targets, Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, has indicated that former President Trump, President Biden, [and] former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley were possible targets.
