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[Text/Observer.com Xiong Chaoran] On August 6, local time, the U.S. Department of Justice issued a statement saying that a Pakistani man allegedly linked to Iran was accused of carefully planning the assassination of current and former U.S. government officials from all political factions. Although the statement did not mention specific names, U.S. media such as NBC and CBS cited multiple sources familiar with the investigation and further pointed out that the targets included former U.S. President Trump.

The 46-year-old suspect, Asif Merchant, faces a charge of murder-for-hire, according to reports. Prosecutors said Merchant mistook an undercover FBI agent for a hit man and paid him $5,000 to discuss a complex plot against a politician.

"The dangerous murder-for-hire plot exposed in today's indictments, allegedly orchestrated by a Pakistani national with close ties to Iran, was straight out of Iran's playbook," FBI Director Christopher Wray said in a statement.

According to reports, on July 13, local time, Trump was shot at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. The day before (July 12), Merchant was arrested while trying to leave the United States. However, officials believe that there is no indication that the conspiracy planned by Merchant is related to the shooting of Trump. In that failed assassination attempt, the gunman and a civilian were killed.

"Law enforcement foiled the alleged conspiracy prior to the other attacks. Our ongoing investigation has found no evidence linking this defendant in any way to the shootings in Butler County, Pennsylvania," a law official told CBS.

Both NBC and CBS pointed out that U.S. intelligence and law enforcement officials, including FBI Director Ray, have been investigating the "threat" from Iran. There are reports that "Iran is plotting to assassinate Trump" in retaliation for the killing of Soleimani, leader of the Quds Force of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, during the Trump administration.

A law enforcement official revealed that Merchant's conspiracy was first discovered in April this year, which was one of the factors that led the U.S. Secret Service to increase security around Trump since then. Court documents show that Merchant traveled to Texas in April this year and contacted a person he thought could help him implement his plan, but the person reported him to law enforcement, and the FBI immediately launched a sting operation.

According to reports, Merchant made a "gun" gesture with his hand when discussing the plan, suggesting that this opportunity was related to murder, and asked the contact to arrange a meeting between him and the potential gunman. In June, the contact arranged for Merchant to meet with two FBI agents posing as gunmen.

The plot included stealing documents or USB drives from the home of an unnamed target, planning protests as a distraction and "killing a politician or government official," according to court documents. "The people who are going to be targeted are those who are hurting Pakistan and the world (Muslim world). They are not normal people," Merchant allegedly said.

Eventually, law enforcement officers arrested Merchant at his home in Texas on July 12, when he was planning to travel outside the United States. During the search, law enforcement officers also found a handwritten note in his wallet containing various coded characters about the conspiracy.

U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said on August 6 local time: "For many years, the U.S. Department of Justice has been actively combating Iran's reckless and unrelenting attempts to retaliate against U.S. government officials for the killing of Soleimani. The U.S. Department of Justice will spare no effort to dismantle those who plan to carry out Iran's deadly conspiracy against Americans and hold them accountable."

Garland noted that Americans were more aware of the severity of threats against public officials following the assassination attempt on Trump, but he also said investigators had found no evidence of "any connection between the defendants charged in the indictment unsealed today and the July 13 assassination attempt on the former president in Butler County, Pennsylvania."

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