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In the federal trial in Brooklyn, prosecutors accuse A Sif Merchant, a 47-year-old man from Pakistan, of plotting to assassinate American political leaders, including President Trump. Merchant testified in his own federal trial, claiming that Iranian leadership told him to “hunt down president Trump, hire a couple of guys that can take him out at a political rally.” Prosecutors say the evidence is damning, noting that Merchant paid two FBI agents thousands of dollars in cash, telling them to take out President Trump, and that he wrote the entire plan down on a hotel napkin.
The case centers on Merchant’s assertion that Iran was behind the plot, based on his belief that the attack on Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania—arrested one day before that incident—was similar to the plan given to him. Merchant says Iran wanted revenge for the killing of their top military leader, Qasem Soleimani, and that threats continue as the U.S. recently bombed Iran and took out its Ayatollah.
Authorities describe the alleged scheme as involving an elevated rally site setup intended to create chaos that could facilitate the gunman, with Merchant claiming Iranian leadership provided the instructions. The closing arguments are underway as Merchant remains inside the Brooklyn Federal Courthouse, facing federal terrorism charges that could put him behind bars for life.