WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Subcommittee on Counterterrorism, Law Enforcement, and Intelligence Chairman August Pfluger (R-TX) and House Committee on Homeland Security Chairman Mark E. Green, MD (R-TN) sent a letter to Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Christopher Wray requesting information about the arrest and charging of Asif Merchant, a Pakistani national with close ties to Iran, regarding a failed assassination plot by Merchant on U.S. soil.
In the letter, the Chairmen state, “On August 6, 2024, the Department of Justice unsealed a 15-page complaint charging Merchant with an alleged murder-for-hire scheme to kill a U.S. government official. According to the complaint, Merchant traveled from Pakistan to Istanbul, Turkey, and then to Houston, Texas, to enlist individuals in the United States to execute his assassination scheme. Merchant’s plot to murder a U.S. government official involved various plans, including stealing documents or USB drives from a U.S. government official’s residence and planning a protest. With the assistance of a confidential human source, law enforcement officials foiled the plot by arresting Merchant on July 12 before he could leave the United States. A federal judge has ordered him detained on July 17.”
The Chairmen continue, “Merchant’s foiled plot follows another scheme when an Iranian national and member of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force orchestrated the attempted assassination of John Bolton, the former U.S. National Security Advisor. Subsequently it was revealed that Mike Pompeo, the former Secretary of State was a second target of the same plot. Credible threats by Iran have continued to persist against former Secretary Pompeo as well as his former top aide Brian Hook who served as special representative for Iran during the Trump administration. These plots also include Iran’s efforts to silence those who publicly criticize the regime’s human rights abuses.”
The Chairmen conclude: “We have serious concerns about the inadequate and lack of actions taken by the Biden-Harris administration to impose consequences on the Iranian regime including efforts to protect our national security and American citizens from foreign threats.”
Background:
The House Committee on Homeland Security has spearheaded congressional efforts to counter Iran and transnational repression:
- In March of this year, the Committee held a hearing to examine persistent malicious activity by Iranian-backed terrorist groups and other threats such as recent plots against U.S. officials and transnational repression by the regime on U.S. soil.
- In this hearing Robert Wells assistant director of Counterterrorism Division at FBI told members: “The FBI believes Iran is capable of variety attack options against US targets include cyber operations intended sabotage public private infrastructure targeted assassinations individuals deemed threat regime stability FBI continues use intelligence identify threats related lethal capabilities targeting US persons.”
- In October 2023 Committee held hearing examine assess threats posed Iranian regime US homeland security partners.
- In hearing Iranian-American journalist women’s rights activist Masih Alinejad detailed accounts Iranian regime’s assassination plot against her intimidation those work with her.
- In April Committee advanced bipartisan legislation counter transnational repression US soil included:
- The “Countering Transnational Repression Act 2024,” H.R 7443 introduced Chairman Pfluger.
- The “Law Enforcement Support Transnational Repression Act,” H.R 7433 introduced Subcommittee Emergency Management Technology Chairman Anthony D’Esposito (R-NY).
- The “Strengthening State Local Efforts Counter Transnational Repression Act,” H.R 7439 introduced Rep Magaziner (D-RI).