{"id":2342412,"date":"2024-09-17T16:07:01","date_gmt":"2024-09-17T20:07:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/man-pleads-not-guilty-in-alleged-trump-assassination-plot-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2024-09-17T16:15:47","modified_gmt":"2024-09-17T20:15:47","slug":"man-pleads-not-guilty-in-alleged-trump-assassination-plot-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/man-pleads-not-guilty-in-alleged-trump-assassination-plot-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"Man pleads not guilty in alleged Trump assassination plot &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fman-pleads-not-guilty-in-alleged-trump-assassination-plot-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2342412&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>A Pakistani national named Asif \u200bMerchant, reportedly\u2064 linked to Iran, has\u200d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/breaking-president-trump-to-pardon-gen-michael-flynn-per-report\/\" title=\"BREAKING: President Trump to Pardon Gen. Michael Flynn, Per Report\">pleaded<\/a>\u200c not guilty to terrorism \u2062and murder-for-hire charges connected to a plot to assassinate former President Donald Trump. After arriving in the U.S. in April, Merchant allegedly sought assistance from an \u200cindividual to\u2062 kill a politician, who <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gabby-petito-case-human-remains-found-in-florida-reserve-near-items-belonging-to-brian-laundrie-coroner-called\/\" title=\"Gabby Petito Case: \u2018Human Remains\u2019 Found In Florida Reserve Near Items Belonging To Brian Laundrie, Coroner Called\">informed law enforcement<\/a>. He subsequently met with\u2063 individuals \u2064posing as assassins, who were undercover FBI\u200b agents, leading to his arrest in July. Attorney\u200c General Merrick Garland emphasized the U.S. government&#8217;s commitment to combating Iran&#8217;s threats against\u2064 American\u200b officials. Documents reveal that President Joe\u2064 Biden and former South Carolina Governor Nikki \u200cHaley were also mentioned as possible targets in \u2062the plot. Merchant was indicted on September 10, following his arrest during an attempted escape.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Man pleads not guilty in alleged Trump assassination plot<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1762772\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>Iran-tied Pakistani national Asif Merchant pleaded not guilty on Monday to <a href=\"http:\/\/washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/terrorism\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>terrorism<\/a> and murder-for-hire <a href=\"http:\/\/washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/crime\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>charges<\/a> for his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/rep-tim-ryan-two-capitol-police-officers-suspended-cop-or-guard-member-arrested-in-investigations-in-storming-of-congress\/\" title=\"Rep. Tim Ryan: Two Capitol Police Officers Suspended, Cop or Guard Member Arrested in Investigations in Storming of Congress\">alleged involvement<\/a> in a plot to assassinate former President <a href=\"http:\/\/washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\" title>Donald Trump<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>Merchant arrived in the United States in April after spending time in Iran and allegedly reached out to someone he thought could assist him in killing a politician. The person he contacted reported this to law enforcement, and Merchant later met with &ldquo;hit men&rdquo; who were really undercover FBI agents, leading to his arrest in July.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The Justice Department will not tolerate Iran&rsquo;s efforts to target our country&rsquo;s public officials and endanger our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/we-got-it-newsmax-reporter-emerald-robinson-national-security-source-confirms-a-piece-of-hardware-has-been-secured-in-germany\/\" title=\"We Got It! - Newsmax Reporter Emerald Robinson: National Security Source Confirms &quot;A Piece of Hardware Has Been Secured&quot; in Germany\">national security<\/a>,&rdquo; Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/opa\/pr\/pakistani-national-ties-iran-charged-connection-foiled-plot-assassinate-politician-or-us-0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>statement<\/a>.&nbsp;&ldquo;As these terrorism and murder-for-hire charges against Asif Merchant demonstrate, we will continue to hold accountable those who would seek to carry out Iran&rsquo;s lethal plotting against Americans.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>President Joe Biden and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley were also discussed as targets in the Iran-backed plot, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/3145286\/grassley-new-details-iranian-backed-plot-assassinate-biden-trump-haley\/\" title>documents<\/a> released by Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA).<\/p>\n<p>Merchant was indicted on Sept. 10 but was arrested in July when he attempted to flee the country after allegedly paying undercover agents to assassinate &ldquo;politicians, military people, or bureaucrats.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;This dangerous murder-for-hire plot was allegedly orchestrated by a Pakistani national with close ties to Iran and is straight out of the Iranian regime&rsquo;s playbook,&rdquo; FBI Director Christopher Wray said. &ldquo;A foreign-directed plot to kill a public official, or any U.S. citizen, is a serious threat to our national security and will be met with the full might and resources of the FBI. Protecting Americans from terrorists remains our highest priority.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>News of Merchant&rsquo;s arraignment was overshadowed on Monday when another plot to assassinate Trump was foiled just yards from where the former president was golfing. Ryan Wesley Routh allegedly hid in the bushes at Trump International Golf Club and waited for Trump with an AK-47 before being spotted and shot at by the Secret Service.<\/p>\n<p>Trump was grazed by a bullet during an assassination attempt on July 13 at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The July attack committed by Thomas Matthew Crooks killed one rallygoer and wounded two others.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1762772\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1762772\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Asif Merchant, a Pakistani national with ties to Iran, entered a not guilty plea on Monday regarding charges of terrorism and murder-for-hire linked to an alleged scheme to assassinate former President Donald Trump. After arriving in the U.S. in April following a stay in Iran, Merchant reportedly contacted someone he believed could help him kill a politician. This individual informed law enforcement about the communication, leading to Merchant&#8217;s meeting with individuals posing as hitmen\u2014who were actually undercover FBI agents\u2014resulting in his arrest in July. Attorney General Merrick Garland stated that the Justice Department will not tolerate Iran&#8217;s attempts to target American officials and jeopardize national security. Documents released by Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) indicated that President Joe Biden and former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley were also considered potential targets in this Iran-backed plot. Although Merchant was indicted on September 10, he was apprehended earlier when he tried to flee after allegedly paying undercover agents for the assassination of various public figures. FBI Director Christopher Wray emphasized that such foreign-directed plots pose serious threats to national security and will be met with full force by the FBI, which prioritizes protecting Americans from terrorism.<\/p>\n<p>On the same day as Merchant&#8217;s arraignment, news broke of another foiled assassination attempt against Trump at his golf club where Ryan Wesley Routh allegedly concealed himself with an AK-47 while waiting for Trump before being spotted and shot at by Secret Service agents. Additionally, Trump was grazed by a bullet during an earlier assassination attempt on July 13 at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania; this attack resulted in one death and two injuries among attendees due to assailant Thomas Matthew Crooks&#8217; actions<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2670,"featured_media":2342413,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/donald-trump-asif-merchant.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[32133,33211,41066,35776,32076],"class_list":["post-2342412","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-current-events","tag-legal-news","tag-man-pleads-not-guilty","tag-trump-assassination-plot","tag-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/donald-trump-asif-merchant.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2342412","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2670"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2342412"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2342412\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2342413"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2342412"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2342412"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2342412"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}