Czech man extradited to US for part in Iranian conspiracy to murder US journalist
"Polad Omarov was extradited to the United States to face charges for attempting to murder on US soil, a journalist, author, and human rights activist who is a US citizen of Iranian origin."
Polad Omarov, aged 39, was extradited from the Czech Republic to the United States this week for his attempt to murder Iranian-American activist and journalist Masih Alinejad last year as part of an Iranian conspiracy plan, according to the US Office of Public Affairs.
The arrest comes a year after Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced charges against Omarov and two others who were also involved in the murder plot. The two other defendants involved in the plot have already been brought to US custody.
Omarov, however, was still on the radar of the United States, avoiding arrest until Wednesday morning when he was brought to representatives of the US government after being arrested by the Czech Republic in January.
The US Department of Justice released Garland's statement regarding Omarov's arrest.
“Last year, I announced charges against three defendants for their roles in a conspiracy to murder a US citizen who has long been targeted by the Government of Iran," Garland stated.
"We said that the long arm of the law would find and bring to justice those who seek to threaten, silence, or harm American citizens. Today, we have done just that. The third defendant, Polad Omarov, was extradited to the United States to face charges for attempting to murder on US soil, a journalist, author, and human rights activist who is a US citizen of Iranian origin," he added.
A plot to murder the Iranian journalist
Targeted Iranian journalist and activist Masih Alinejad is known as an Iranian-American human rights activist who criticizes the repression of women in Iran.
According to prosecutors, at the time of the plot against her, the Iranians hired private investigators who surveilled the journalist.
It was planned by the Iranians "to forcibly take their intended victim to Iran, where the victim’s fate would have been uncertain at best," Audrey Strauss, the US attorney for the Southern District of New York, said at the time of the incident.
In repose to the arrest of Omarov this week, Alinejad took to X, stating, "My death was supposed to be a birthday present for Polad Omarov, hired by the Islamic Republic in Iran who was plotting to kill me. Instead, he was extradited today to the US to face trial."
"We are grateful to our Czech government counterparts for this extradition. The Department of Justice will not tolerate attempts by an authoritarian regime to undermine the rights to which every American citizen is entitled," Garland's statement concluded.My death was supposed to be a birthday present for Polad Omarov hired by Islamic Republic in Iran who was plotting to kill me. Instead he was extradited today to the US to face trial. Read the story of this assassination plot,@nytimes https://t.co/JSd0X9FCtm
— Masih Alinejad ️ (@AlinejadMasih) February 21, 2024
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