A Pakistani national who federal authorities say has ties with Iran entered a not guilty plea in federal court to charges that he attempted to arrange a murder-for-hire as part of a scheme to assassinate current or former U.S. officials.
Asif Merchant, who also is accused of plotting to commit an act of terrorism, was ordered detained pending trial at a federal courthouse in New York City on Monday. He entered his plea to one count of attempting to commit terrorism across national boundaries and one count of murder for hire.
