US Charges Iranian Man Over Alleged Plot to Assassinate Donald Trump

[Social Media]

 

The U.S. government has charged an Iranian national, Farhad Shakeri, in connection with an alleged plan to assassinate Donald Trump. In an indictment unsealed by the Department of Justice, Shakeri, 51, is accused of being directed by an Iranian Revolutionary Guard official to develop a strategy to surveil and kill Trump. Prosecutors revealed that Shakeri has not been apprehended and is currently believed to be in Iran.

 

Attorney General Merrick Garland stated, “The Justice Department has charged an asset of the Iranian regime who was tasked by the regime to direct a network of criminal associates to further Iran’s assassination plots against its targets, including President-elect Donald Trump.” The indictment alleges that Shakeri’s orders to formulate an assassination plan came in September. Initially, he informed Iranian officials that he did not intend to devise a plan within their requested seven-day timeline, prompting the officials to postpone their directive. Shakeri later claimed that his contacts within the Iranian government believed it would be simpler to attempt the assassination following the election, under the assumption that Trump would lose.

 

In addition to Trump, two other individuals—Carlisle Rivera, 49, and Jonathon Loadholt, 36—have been charged in connection with the case. The two men were allegedly recruited by Shakeri to target an American journalist who has publicly criticized Iran. The journalist, identified by Brooklyn-based reporter Masih Alinejad as the intended victim, reported that the FBI intervened to arrest two men for attempting to kill her outside her home. “I came to America to practice my First Amendment right to freedom of speech—I don’t want to die,” she stated on social media, adding, “I want to fight against tyranny, and I deserve to be safe.”

 

Prosecutors revealed that Shakeri’s orders extended beyond Trump and Alinejad. Allegedly, the Iranian government also sought to kill two Jewish American businesspeople in New York who supported Israel on social media. Shakeri also claimed that his Iranian contacts had requested a plan for a mass shooting to target Israeli tourists in Sri Lanka, allegedly planned for October 2024.

 

Shakeri’s background includes a 14-year prison sentence for robbery before his deportation in 2008. Since then, prosecutors allege he has used a network of criminal associates to conduct surveillance on Iran’s targets. Shakeri reportedly promised Rivera and Loadholt $100,000 to murder the targeted American journalist. All three men now face charges of murder-for-hire, money laundering conspiracy, and conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, which carry potential sentences ranging from 10 to 20 years in prison.

 

Based on a report by BBC 2024-11-09

 

 

 

[Jingthing]

It is interesting that Iran was very much against Trump winning (because of the Israel issue) while Russia was very much for Trump winning (because of Ukraine policy) as Iran and Russia are allies and Iran is supplying tons of drones to Putin's war of choice.

 

[Cryingdick]

On 11/8/2024 at 6:34 PM, Jingthing said:

It is interesting that Iran was very much against Trump winning (because of the Israel issue) while Russia was very much for Trump winning (because of Ukraine policy) as Iran and Russia are allies and Iran is supplying tons of drones to Putin's war of choice.

 

 

It makes sense. Trump has an easy off ramp for Putin. The answer for Iran is much less pleasant. 

[bendejo]

On 11/8/2024 at 3:26 PM, Social Media said:

Shakeri later claimed that his contacts within the Iranian government believed it would be simpler to attempt the assassination following the election, under the assumption that Trump would lose.

 

Just a wee bit of web searching and the Great Minds there could have found out that former US presidents get Secret Service babysitters for the rest of their lives.  I wonder if there is an agent disguised as Abe Simpson in the home where Jimmy Carter stays. 

At least with Iran it's the same set of enemies since the Shah left.  The US is now kissin' cousins with Russia, and we know who is kissing who's what.  Truly sad.