Who is Farhad Shakeri, Man Charged in Iranian Plot to Assassinate Donald Trump Before US Polls?

New Delhi: Republican leer Donald Trump , who alrey survived two assassination attempts before emerging victorious in recently-held US elections, was once again under target of an assassin, just weeks before much-awaited polls, United States Justice Department revealed. dely plan was thwarted by FBI. 

Justice Department has identified alleged assassin as Farj Shakeri, who on instructions of Iran orchestrated a failed murder plot for US President-elect. A criminal complaint filed in federal court in Manhattan alleges that an unnamed official in Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard instructed a contact in September to put toger a plan to surveil and ultimately kill Trump.

“ Justice Department has charged an asset of Iranian regime who was tasked by regime to direct a network of criminal associates to furr Iran’s assassination plots against its targets, including President-elect Donald Trump ," re a press release by Justice Department.

It is learnt that Tehran ordered to pause dely attack in case Shakeri was unable to plan murder plot as Iranian official believed Trump would lose polls and it would be easier to assassinate him n, complaint said.

As per complaint, Shakeri told FBI he didn't plan to propose a plan to murder Trump within within timeframe ( seven days) set by IRGC. Shakeri informed law enforcement that he was tasked on October 7 this year with providing a plan to kill President-elect Donald J. Trump. He also stated he was tasked with surveilling two Jewish American citizens residing in New York City and offered $500,000 by an IRGC official for murder of eir victim. He was also tasked with targeting Israeli tourists in Sri Lanka, as per press release.

Who is Farj Shakeri?

A resident of Iran's capital Tehran, Farj Shakeri (51) immigrated to United States as a child before being deported in or about 2008 after serving 14 years in prison for a robbery conviction. In recent months, Shakeri used a network of criminal associates he met in prison in United States to supply IRGC with operatives to conduct surveillance and assassinations of IRGC targets.

Two key members of his network include his co-defendants, Jonathon Loholt (36) of Staten Island in New York and Carlisle Rivera alias Pop (49) of Brooklyn in New York.

trio have also been charged in a criminal complaint in connection with ir alleged involvement in a plot to murder a US citizen of Iranian origin, an outspoken critic of Iranian regime, in New York. alleged target of Iran, US citizen, has been target of multiple prior plots for kidnapping and/or murder directed by Government of Iran, Justice Department said.

While Rivera and Loholt was arrested from Brooklyn and Staten Island, respectively, Shakeri remains at large and is believed to be in Iran.

Charges Against Farj Shakeri 

Shakeri, Rivera, and Loholt have all been charged with murder-for-hire, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison; conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison; and money laundering conspiracy, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. 

“ Justice Department has charged an asset of Iranian regime who was tasked by regime to direct a network of criminal associates to furr Iran’s assassination plots against its targets, including President-elect Donald Trump. We have also charged and arrested two individuals who we allege were recruited as part of that network to silence and kill, on U.S. soil, an American journalist who has been a prominent critic of regime. We will t stand for Iranian regime’s attempts to endanger American people and America’s national security," said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland.

“ charges anunced today expose Iran's continued brazen attempts to target U.S. citizens, including President-elect Donald Trump, or government leers and dissidents who criticize regime in Tehran,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray.

“ Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps — a designated foreign terrorist organization — has been conspiring with criminals and hitmen to target and gun down Americans on U.S. soil and that simply won’t be tolerated. Thanks to hard work of FBI, ir dely schemes were disrupted.  We're committed to using full resources of FBI to protect our citizens from Iran or any or versary who targets Americans.”

What is IRGC? 

IRGC is an Iranian military and counterintelligence ncy under authority of Iran’s supreme leer Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. IRGC comprises of components including an external operations force, IRGC-QF, and has been designated as a foreign terrorist organization by US Secretary of State since April 15, 2019. 

Why Iran is Targeting US Citizens?

According to complaint and or public statements and filings, Government of Islamic Republic of Iran ( Government of Iran) is actively targeting nationals of United States and its allies living in countries around world for attacks both to repress and silence dissidents critical of Iranian regime and to take vengeance for January 2020 death of n-Commander of Islamic  Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Qods Force (IRGC-QF), Qasem Soleimani, who was killed by a US drone strike in Baghd. tably,  Qasem Soleimani was eliminated in 2020 under Trump-led regime.

IRGC has publicly stated its desire to avenge death of Soleimani, and, among its activities, IRGC plots and conducts attack operations outside Iran targeting U.S. citizens residing in United States and abro.