Brooklyn Court Convicts Asif Merchant in Trump Assassination Plot

A Brooklyn court has convicted Asif Merchant of plotting with Iranian forces to assassinate Donald Trump. Merchant testified he was coerced by Iranian operatives to target Trump and other leaders, claiming threats to his family. The trial unfolded amid escalating US-Iran tensions.

Asif Merchant, a Pakistani national, has been found guilty by a Brooklyn court of conspiring with Iranian authorities in a plot to assassinate US President Donald Trump, according to reports from the New York Times. The conviction, handed down by the Federal District Court, includes charges of attempted terrorism and murder for hire.

During his testimony, Merchant claimed that Iranian intelligence operatives coerced him into targeting not only Trump but also Joe Biden, stating that his family's safety was at risk. The New York Post reports that Merchant, a former banker, allegedly paid $5,000 to two undercover FBI agents posing as hitmen, under the directive of an Iranian handler in April 2024.

Merchant testified that his handler, identified as Mehrdad Yousef of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, instructed him to eliminate targets, naming Trump, Biden, and Nikki Haley as potential victims. This trial coincides with ongoing US-Iran tensions, as both nations engage in military strikes and counter-attacks, amplifying the geopolitical stakes.

(With inputs from agencies.)