A shocking revelation has unfolded as charges are brought against three individuals in a series of murder plots.
According to ABC News, Farhad Shakeri and two other men were implicated in plans to assassinate President-elect Donald Trump among others.
According to the Department of Justice (DOJ), Farhad Shakeri, Carlisle Rivera, and Jonathan Loadholt have been indicted on murder-for-hire charges. Shakeri, reportedly an asset of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), thought to be stationed in Tehran, allegedly had plans extending beyond the former President to an Iranian-American activist and two Jewish-American individuals in New York.
Shakeri was deported from the USA in 2008 following a prison sentence for robbery. It was during his incarceration that Shakeri met collaborators Rivera and Loadholt.
Carlisle Rivera and Jonathan Loadholt, both arrested, stand accused of participating in these plots on U.S. soil which adds a domestic angle to the international crisis. The unveiling of the complaint against these men was announced in New York on Friday.
Details on the Targeted Individuals and Plans
The former president was a high-priority target for the IRGC, which sought vengeance for the assassination of its general, Qassem Soleimani. Soleimani died in a U.S. drone strike in Baghdad in January 2020, escalating tensions between Iran and the U.S.
Moreover, Shakeri and his network were also engaged in planning to target Jewish-American citizens and an Iranian-American activist, who appears to be journalist and human rights advocate Masih Alinejad.
Masih Alinejad recently expressed her concern over this plot. "I am shocked. I just learned from the @FBI that two men were arrested yesterday in a new plot to kill me at Fairfield University, where I was scheduled to give a talk," Alinejad revealed.
The Iranian Revolutionary Guard seemed indifferent to the cost of these assassination attempts. "We have already spent a lot of money... so the money's not an issue," an IRGC official reportedly said to Shakeri.
Government Responses to the Iran-linked Threats
Attorney General Merrick Garland emphasized the gravity of the situation. He noted, "There are few actors in the world that pose as grave a threat to the national security of the United States as does Iran."
Garland further explained the DOJ's position, stating that the department "charged an asset of the Iranian regime who was tasked to direct a network of criminal associates to further Iran's assassination plots against its targets, including President-elect Donald J. Trump."
This news highlights the continuing efforts by the Iranian government to conduct violent operations on foreign soil. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams condemned these actions: "Actors directed by the Government of Iran continue to target our citizens, including President-elect Trump, on U.S. soil and abroad."
Williams also reassured the public, "This has to stop. Today’s charges are another message to those who continue in their efforts -- we will remain unrelenting in our pursuit of bad actors, no matter where they reside, and will stop at nothing to bring to justice those who harm our safety and security," he articulated.
In conclusion, this disturbing development underscores a significant security challenge. It serves as a reminder of the high risks our leaders and influential figures face. The determination of U.S. law enforcement to thwart these threats and hold culpable parties accountable stands firm.
