Asif Raza Merchant, the Pakistani nationalist who was charged with a failed attempt to assassinate former President Trump, was “polite and cooperative” during an April interview with the FBI. However, his name was flagged on the Department of Homeland Security Watch List. Bold red print on his file labeled him as a “Lookout Qualified Person of Interest.” But that didn’t stop him from earning a “significant public benefit parole” and being unleashed on the unsuspecting United States.
When Merchant arrived at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force talked to Him, checked his fingerprints, and examined his electronic devices. They let him go with a special pass that expired on May 11.
The FBI notes say Merchant was polite and helpful. They also mentioned he had recently traveled to Iran.
Even though Merchant had traveled to a country known for terrorist activities, the memo says he was allowed to enter the United States without any problems and was free to go to a family member’s house in Texas.
The officials said the special pass given to Merchant would help agents determine if he would work with them. They hoped to learn why he was coming to the U.S. and who he might be working with.
However, the FBI knew there was a chance they might lose track of him.
Records show that Merchant stayed in the country even after his pass expired in early May. Merchant was arrested on July 12 after the FBI found that he was trying to hire people to kill someone and was planning to leave the country.
According to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website, a special pass known as parole can be granted for reasons such as helping with police work, national security, or domestic policy.
The news that Merchant was allowed into the United States despite his connections to terrorism comes after a report from the House Judiciary Committee. The report found that between 2021 and 2023, the Biden administration’s DHS let 99 people on the terrorist watch list enter the country. Thirty-four others in custody haven’t been removed yet.
During those years, Border Patrol came across people from 36 different countries where terrorism is active. These countries include Syria, Türkiye, Yemen, Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon, Pakistan, Somalia, Kyrgyzstan, Mauritania, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.
In June, eight men from Tajikistan were arrested in different parts of the U.S. because they were thought to be connected to the Islamic State terror group. According to NBC News, all eight men had crossed the southern border, but their background checks didn’t show any criminal records then.
After the charges against Merchant were announced earlier this week, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency warned its field offices that Iran or its allied groups might try to move people, money, or materials across the U.S. borders to carry out attacks.
The memo warned CBP of ongoing security threats, including possible attacks similar to a recent rocket attack by Iran-backed Hezbollah on an Israeli town. The memo also said that because tensions were high in the Middle East, the risk of a terror attack in the U.S. was greater.
It told CBP staff to be mindful at entry points like the Houston airport, where Merchant arrived and was later allowed to stay in the country.
The Justice Department says that right after Merchant came into the country in April, he tried to hire someone to help with a plan to kill someone. This person became a secret informant and told the police about Merchant’s request.
Merchant asked the informant about different ways to carry out the plan. He also said he would carry out the assassination after leaving the U.S. He said he would send instructions to the informant. However, the police caught Merchant before he left the country.
It’s believed that former President Donald Trump was targeted, although he was not mentioned by name. Merchant had warned the informant that one of his targets would be surrounded by the Secret Service. He aimed to leave the U.S. the day before Trump’s disastrous rally in Butler, PA when a person unrelated to his plot shot the former president moments into a speech.
Merchant’s scheme was uncovered, but his release at the border, despite being on the terror watch list, raises questions. “Significant public benefit parole” was granted to a known terrorist so the FBI could “monitor” his actions. Even so, the FBI acknowledges that they lose track of individuals, leaving some free to accomplish their missions.
It’s a gamble that the U.S. shouldn’t be taking. The FBI already have their hands full tracking parents, Catholics, and January 6 “insurrectionists” while fumbling assassination attempts. Unarmed, innocent citizens are more their speed.
