[Karah Rucker]
NEW DETAILS IN A HIGH-PROFILE MURDER-FOR-HIRE TRIAL –
FEDERAL PROSECUTORS SAY THE IRANIAN GOVERNMENT PUT A
HALF-MILLION-DOLLAR BOUNTY ON A JOURNALIST’S HEAD—
AND PAID RUSSIAN MOBSTERS TO PLAN OUT THE KILLING.
THEIR ALLEGED TARGET?
“MASIH ALINEJAD” –
A PROMINENT IRANIAN-AMERICAN ACTIVIST KNOWN FOR ENCOURAGING WOMEN TO DEFY IRAN’S STRICT HIJAB LAWS.
“ALINEJAD” TESTIFIED AT TRIAL – SAYING SHE FACED PERSISTENT THREATS FOR BEING OUTSPOKEN AGAINST IRANIAN LAWS TARGETING WOMEN.
PROSECUTORS SAY THE ALLEGED HITMAN WAS ARRESTED BEFORE HE COULD ACT –
BUT TWO RUSSIAN MEN NOW FACE TRIAL FOR ORGANIZING THE PLOT.
THE HITMAN WAS CAUGHT IN 2022 WITH A LOADED AK-47 AFTER POLICE PULLED HIM OVER FOR A TRAFFIC VIOLATION.
THE MAN SAYS HE WAS PAID 30 THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR THE KILL.
ASSISTANT U.S. ATTORNEY “MICHAEL LOCKARD” TOLD A MANHATTAN JURY THE IRANIAN GOVERNMENT CONSIDERED “ALINEJAD” AN “ENEMY OF THE STATE”—
AND WHEN YEARS OF HARASSMENT FAILED, THEY TURNED TO MURDER – ACCORDING TO THE PROSECUTION.
THE DEFENSE DID NOT REFUTE CLAIMS THE IRANIAN GOVERNMENT WANTED TO KILL THE JOURNALIST –
BUT SAYS THEIR CLIENTS WERE NOT INVOLVED –
CALLING THE PROSECUTION’S KEY WITNESS—THE ALLEGED HITMAN – “UNTRUSTWORTHY” AND “A CLOWN”.
ONE DEFENSE ATTORNEY SAYS THOSE WHO WERE DISCUSSING THE MURDER PLOT WERE ONLY ATTEMPTING TO SCAM MONEY WITHOUT INTENDING TO COMMIT A CRIME.
THIS TRIAL WILL SOON HEAD TO JURY DELIBERATIONS.
HOWEVER – THIS ISN’T THE ONLY LEG IN THE MURDER-FOR-HIRE CASE.
THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ANNOUNCED CHARGES AGAINST A GENERAL OF IRAN’S REVOLUTIONARY GUARD MILITARY LAST OCTOBER –
FOR ALLEGEDLY BEING A MASTERMIND BEHIND THE PLOT –
BUT HE IS STILL BELIEVED TO BE **IN IRAN.
ACCORDING TO THE DOJ PRESS RELEASE – 8 INDIVIDUALS HAVE SO FAR BEEN CHARGED IN THE PLANNED ASSASSINATION.
FOR THE FULL DOJ INDICTMENT –
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