Iranian activists targeted for assassination in Brooklyn

Masih Alinejad, an Iranian-American activist, experienced a terrifying situation in July 2022. After tending to her garden in Brooklyn, she noticed a suspicious man lingering nearby. The man, later identified as Khalid Mehdiyev, was plotting to kill her as part of a scheme backed by the Iranian government. Mehdiyev had been hired by two others, Rafat Amirov and Polad Omarov, to assassinate Alinejad for $500,000. They targeted her because of her strong advocacy for women's rights and criticism of the Iranian regime. Alinejad had left Iran in 2009 and has since become an influential voice against the government. During a recent trial, it was revealed that Mehdiyev was supposed to carry out the murder. Prosecutors presented evidence showing how Mehdiyev surveilled Alinejad, even obtaining an AK-47 assault rifle. Messages exchanged among the conspirators showed their plans and concerns about the job's progress. The plot was disrupted when police noticed Mehdiyev acting suspiciously near Alinejad's home. After he was pulled over for a traffic violation, officers discovered the weapon and ammunition in his car. He initially claimed he was looking for an apartment in the area, but later admitted he was looking for Alinejad. Mehdiyev became a key witness in the case against Amirov and Omarov, who were convicted of murder-for-hire charges. Alinejad has since left her home for safety reasons, returning only briefly to check on her garden.