U.S. prosecutors have charged four Iranians, alleged to be intelligence operatives for Tehran, with plotting to kidnap a New York journalist who was critical of Iran, according to a Justice Department indictment unsealed on Tuesday.
While the indictment did not name the target of the plot, Reuters has confirmed she is Iranian American journalist Masih Alinejad, who has contributed to the Voice of America Persian language service and reports on human rights issues in Iran.
Asked by Reuters to confirm that Alinejad was the target of the plot, the Department. Alinejad said Iranian operatives had tried multiple times to lure her to Turkey with threats and promise to meet the family. FBI agents warned Alinejad earlier this year that Iran was planning to kidnap her, moving the journalist and her husband to a series of safe houses as they investigated the case. She said she was still reeling from reading the indictment.
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