The FBI allowed a Pakistani man who has since been charged with plotting with Iran to assassinate former President Donald Trump and other U.S. officials to enter the U.S. even though he was on a terror watchlist and had recently traveled to Iran.
According to government documents reviewed by Just the News, the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force interviewed the Pakistani man, Asif Raza Merchant, “fingerprinted him and inspected the contents of his electronic devices when he arrived at the George Bush Intercontinental Airport, in Houston, but then let him leave with the special parole that expired on May 11.”
“Subject was polite and cooperative throughout encounter,” the FBI interview memo reportedly reads. “… Subject’s notable travel outside of country of citizenship includes a recent trip to Iran.”
As explained by Just the News, “the immigration records from [Merchant’s] arrival in Houston on April 13 clearly stated in bright red that he was flagged by the Department of Homeland Security database with the identifier ‘WATCH LIST’ and denoted as a ‘Lookout Qualified Person of Interest.’”
“Despite direct travel to a country with known terrorist activity, the memo relays that Merchant was ‘released without incident’ into the United States and was ‘free to travel to desired destination,’ which was listed as a family member’s home in Texas,” Just the News added.
A Tuesday press release from the Department of Justice confirms the timeline: “In approximately April 2024, after spending time in Iran, Merchant arrived in the United States from Pakistan and contacted a person he believed could assist him with the scheme. That person reported Merchant’s conduct to law enforcement and became a confidential source (the CS).”
“In early June, Merchant met the CS in New York and explained his assassination plot. Merchant told the CS that the opportunity he had for the CS was not a one-time opportunity and would be ongoing. Merchant then made a ‘finger gun’ motion with his hand, indicating that the opportunity was related to a killing. Merchant further stated that the intended victims would be ‘targeted here,’ meaning in the United States. Merchant instructed the CS to arrange meetings with individuals whom Merchant could hire to carry out these actions.”
However, it was not until July 12 that Merchant was arrested. The FBI declined to comment on the documents obtained by Just the News or its report.
Notably, the FBI was aware of this assassination plot against Trump before the former president was shot in the ear by a 20-year-old American during a rally in Butler, Pa., which as a security failure led to the resignation of the Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle. The FBI says they believe the two assassination plots are unrelated.
