A new report claims that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) allowed a Pakistani man with ties to Iran, who has been charged for plotting to assassinate former President Donald Trump, to enter the United States in April despite being on a terrorism watchlist.
According to government documents obtained by Just the News, Asif Raza Merchant, the 46-year-old Pakistani man who was recently charged with plotting to assassinate Trump, was allowed by the FBI to enter the United States in April under “significant public benefit parole” despite being on a terrorism watchlist and having recently traveled to Iran.
Just the News reported that Merchant was interviewed and fingerprinted by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force after arriving at the George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston. Government documents show that after interviewing Merchant and inspecting his electronic devices, the FBI allowed him to leave under special parole that was set to expire on May 11.
“Subject was polite and cooperative throughout encounter,” an FBI interview memo states. “… Subject’s notable travel outside of country of citizenship includes a recent trip to Iran.”
Just the News reported that immigration records from Merchant’s April 13 arrival in the United States show that he was flagged with “WATCH LIST” on the Department of Homeland Security’s database and was labeled as a “Lookout Qualified Person of Interest.” Despite the warnings, an FBI memo states that Merchant was “released without incident” into the country and was “free to travel to desired destination,” which the Pakistani suspect had indicated was a family member’s residence in Texas.
READ MORE: Iranian plot to assassinate Trump revealed: Report
According to Just the News, Merchant was not arrested until July 12, following a report by a confidential human source who claimed that the Pakistani man had tried hiring assassins and was preparing to leave the country.
Officials said that the special parole in Merchant’s case was intended to allow federal agents to try to make Merchant into a cooperator or give agents an opportunity to determine why the Pakistani man had come to the United States and who he could be working with. The government records obtained by Just the News also show that Merchant was allowed to stay in the United States after his parole’s initial May 11 expiration date.
Tuesday’s press release by the Justice Department noted that Merchant attempted to hire an individual for the assassination plot against Trump after entering the country; however, the individual reported Merchant to the FBI and became a confidential law enforcement informant. Just the News reported that Merchant asked the informant about different ways to execute an assassination attempt and told the informant that the assassination would take place after he left the United States.
