Pakistani man who allegedly targeted U.S. officials in murder-for-hire plot faces new terrorism charge

A Pakistani man who was arrested earlier this year for allegedly plotting to assassinate current and former U.S. government officials now faces accusations of terrorism, according to an indictment filed in federal court on Tuesday. 

Asif Merchant was initially charged in July on a single count of murder for hire in a criminal complaint that alleged he flew to the U.S. to "recruit individuals to carry out his plot to assassinate U.S. government officials." A new two-count indictment unsealed Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York reiterated the murder-for-hire count and added a charge accusing Merchant of attempting to carry out an act of terrorism. 

The 46-year-old with alleged ties to Iran "attempt[ed] to kill a person within the United States" who was either "a member of the uniformed services" or "any official" of the U.S. government, the indictment said in describing the new charge.