 in an alleged Iranian plot to assassinate former president Donald Trump and a prominent dissident Iranian-American journalist. The foiled assassination plot on Trump was allegedly directed by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to avenge the death of Iranian general Qassem Soleimani, who was killed in 2020 in a US strike ordered by then-president Trump, the Justice Department said. Farhad Shakeri, 51, an Afghan national who is believed to be in Iran, was “tasked” by the IRGC with providing a plan to kill Trump, the department said in a statement. Shakeri and two other men, Carlisle Rivera, 49, and Jonathon Loadholt, 36, both of New York, were charged separately with plotting to kill an Iranian-American dissident in New York. Rivera and Loadholt are both in US custody and made a court appearance in New York on Thursday (7). “The charges announced today expose Iran’s continued brazen attempts to target US citizens, including President-elect Donald Trump, other government leaders and dissidents who criticize the regime in Tehran,” FBI Director Christopher Wray said. Trump, who defeated Vice President Kamala Harris in Tuesday’s US presidential election, faced two other separate assassination attempts this year, including a shooting at a campaign rally when a bullet grazed his ear. Iran’s foreign ministry on Saturday (9) called the allegations that Tehran was behind a plot against Trump “totally unfounded”. The foreign ministry “rejects allegations that Iran is implicated in an assassination attempt targeting former or current American officials,” spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said in a statement. The US Justice Department described suspect Shakeri as an “IRGC asset residing in Tehran.” It said he immigrated to the United States as a child and was deported around 2008 after serving 14 years in prison for robbery. “In recent months, Shakeri has used a network of criminal associates he met in prison in the United States to supply the IRGC with operatives to conduct surveillance and assassinations of IRGC targets,” the Justice Department said. It said Loadholt and Rivera, at Shakeri’s direction, spent months conducting surveillance of a US citizen of Iranian origin who is an outspoken critic of the Iranian government and has been the target of multiple prior kidnapping and murder plots. She was not identified in court documents but appears to be dissident journalist Masih Alinejad. A general in the Revolutionary Guards was charged by US prosecutors in late October in connection with a separate plot to assassinate Alinejad, who lives in New York. According to the criminal complaint against Shakeri, he allegedly disclosed the plot to assassinate Trump in telephone conversations with FBI agents in recent months. Shakeri held the conversations with FBI agents because he was hoping to obtain a sentence reduction for a person who is imprisoned in the United States, it said. Shakeri told the FBI he was approached by an IRGC official in September about organizing the assassination of Trump. He allegedly told the IRGC official it would cost a “huge” amount of money, to which the official responded: “Money’s not an issue.” On October 7, Shakeri said he was asked to come up with a plan to kill Trump within seven days. The IRGC official allegedly said that if Shakeri was unable to come up with a plan in that timeframe, the IRGC would seek to kill Trump after the election because it assessed he would lose and it would be easier to assassinate him after the vote. The United States has repeatedly accused Iran of seeking to assassinate US officials in retaliation for the killing of Soleimani. Tehran has rejected the accusations. A Pakistani man with alleged ties to Iran pleaded not guilty in New York earlier this year to charges he tried to hire a hitman to kill a US politician or official. The State Department has also announced a $20 million reward for information leading to the arrest of the alleged Iranian mastermind behind a plot to assassinate former White House official John Bolton. [ad_2]){kind=link}
US prosecutors introduced expenses on Friday (8) in an alleged Iranian plot to assassinate former president Donald Trump and a outstanding dissident Iranian-American journalist.
The foiled assassination plot on Trump was allegedly directed by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to avenge the dying of Iranian common Qassem Soleimani, who was killed in 2020 in a US strike ordered by then-president Trump, the Justice Division mentioned.
Farhad Shakeri, 51, an Afghan nationwide who’s believed to be in Iran, was “tasked” by the IRGC with offering a plan to kill Trump, the division mentioned in a press release.
Shakeri and two different males, Carlisle Rivera, 49, and Jonathon Loadholt, 36, each of New York, have been charged individually with plotting to kill an Iranian-American dissident in New York.
Rivera and Loadholt are each in US custody and made a courtroom look in New York on Thursday (7).
“The costs introduced at the moment expose Iran’s continued brazen makes an attempt to focus on US residents, together with President-elect Donald Trump, different authorities leaders and dissidents who criticize the regime in Tehran,” FBI Director Christopher Wray mentioned.
Trump, who defeated Vice President Kamala Harris in Tuesday’s US presidential election, confronted two different separate assassination makes an attempt this yr, together with a taking pictures at a marketing campaign rally when a bullet grazed his ear.
Iran’s overseas ministry on Saturday (9) referred to as the allegations that Tehran was behind a plot in opposition to Trump “completely unfounded”.
The overseas ministry “rejects allegations that Iran is implicated in an assassination try concentrating on former or present American officers,” spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei mentioned in a press release.
The US Justice Division described suspect Shakeri as an “IRGC asset residing in Tehran.”
It mentioned he immigrated to the US as a toddler and was deported round 2008 after serving 14 years in jail for theft.
“In latest months, Shakeri has used a community of prison associates he met in jail in the US to produce the IRGC with operatives to conduct surveillance and assassinations of IRGC targets,” the Justice Division mentioned.
It mentioned Loadholt and Rivera, at Shakeri’s path, spent months conducting surveillance of a US citizen of Iranian origin who’s an outspoken critic of the Iranian authorities and has been the goal of a number of prior kidnapping and homicide plots.
She was not recognized in courtroom paperwork however seems to be dissident journalist Masih Alinejad.
A common within the Revolutionary Guards was charged by US prosecutors in late October in reference to a separate plot to assassinate Alinejad, who lives in New York.
In accordance with the prison grievance in opposition to Shakeri, he allegedly disclosed the plot to assassinate Trump in phone conversations with FBI brokers in latest months.
Shakeri held the conversations with FBI brokers as a result of he hoped to acquire a sentence discount for an individual who’s imprisoned in the US, it mentioned.
Shakeri instructed the FBI he was approached by an IRGC official in September about organizing the assassination of Trump.
He allegedly instructed the IRGC official it will value a “enormous” amount of cash, to which the official responded: “Cash’s not a problem.”
On October 7, Shakeri mentioned he was requested to give you a plan to kill Trump inside seven days.
The IRGC official allegedly mentioned that if Shakeri was unable to give you a plan in that timeframe, the IRGC would search to kill Trump after the election as a result of it assessed he would lose and it will be simpler to assassinate him after the vote.
America has repeatedly accused Iran of looking for to assassinate US officers in retaliation for the killing of Soleimani. Tehran has rejected the accusations.
A Pakistani man with alleged ties to Iran pleaded not responsible in New York earlier this yr to expenses he tried to rent a hitman to kill a US politician or official.
The State Division has additionally introduced a $20 million reward for info resulting in the arrest of the alleged Iranian mastermind behind a plot to assassinate former White Home official John Bolton.