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The footage captures the accused operative describing a plan and demonstrating it using a vape pen to symbolize the intended target.
A newly released undercover video played in a Brooklyn courtroom shows an alleged assassination-for-hire plot targeting Donald Trump during the 2024 election cycle, according to trial evidence cited by prosecutors.
The footage, reported by the New York Post, captures the accused operative describing a plan and demonstrating it using a vape pen to symbolize the intended target.
Alleged plot and “target” demonstration
Prosecutors identify the defendant as Asif Merchant, a Pakistani, who is accused of attempting to hire two individuals he believed were contract killers.
In the video, published by the New York Post and Iran International English, Merchant allegedly places a vape pen on a napkin to represent the target.
“This is the target. How will it die?” Merchant says in the recording, according to footage shown to the jury.
He also states during a June 4, 2024 meeting: “Look, to kill this one from here is very easy,” while gesturing to the object in a hotel room allegedly equipped with hidden cameras.
Although Trump was not explicitly named in the exchange, court documents indicate he was the intended target.
FBI sting operation and informant testimony
The alleged scheme began to unravel after a Pakistani-American acquaintance alerted authorities. The investigation involved the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which arranged undercover meetings that were recorded.
The informant, testifying under the alias “Nadeem Ali,” said he agreed to cooperate after growing suspicious of Merchant’s intentions.
“This is not a one-time job. The work will continue,” Merchant allegedly told him, according to testimony presented in court.
Ali also testified he received $20,000 for assisting in the sting operation.
Arrest and charges
Merchant was arrested in July 2024 while attempting to leave the United States. He has pleaded not guilty to charges including murder-for-hire and attempting to commit terrorism transcending national boundaries.
If convicted, he faces a potential life sentence.
Alleged foreign links
US officials have described Merchant as an agent of the Iranian regime, though he did not explicitly identify his alleged handler during recorded conversations.
Authorities say tensions between Washington and Iran intensified following the 2020 US drone strike that killed Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani.
In November 2024, the United States Department of Justice unsealed charges related to a separate alleged assassination plot attributed to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Trial continues in Brooklyn
Merchant’s trial is underway in federal court in Brooklyn, where prosecutors argue the undercover recordings demonstrate intent and coordination.
He maintains his innocence as jurors review the video evidence and witness testimony in the high-profile case.
English (US) ·