Close X
Sunday, October 6, 2024
ADVT 
National

Two Canadians charged in U.S. plot to kill Iranian defector

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 29 Jan, 2024 11:21 AM
  • Two Canadians charged in U.S. plot to kill Iranian defector

The U.S. Department of Justice has charged two Canadians and an Iranian in a murder-for-hire plot targeting two people in Maryland. 

An indictment unsealed today says Naji Sharifi Zindashti, Damion Patrick John Ryan and Adam Richard Pearson conspired to kill the two unnamed people, one of whom was an Iranian defector.

Federal prosecutors say Zindashti, who lives in Iran, was part of a criminal network directed by Tehran that targets Iranian dissidents and activists.

The allegations, which have not been proven in court, say the plot was developed between December 2020 and March 2021 on an encrypted messaging service called SkyECC.

The indictment says Zindashti agreed to pay US$350,000 for the killings and Ryan hired Pearson, who was living illegally in the U.S. under an assumed name. 

The Justice Department says Pearson and Ryan, who is a full-patch member of the Hells Angels, are both in Canadian jails for unrelated offences.

MORE National ARTICLES

Financial intelligence agency levies $1.3 million penalty against CIBC

Financial intelligence agency levies $1.3 million penalty against CIBC
Canada's financial intelligence agency says it has levied a $1.3-million penalty against CIBC for non-compliance with money laundering and terrorist financing measures. The penalty is the second the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada has announced this week after RBC's $7.4-million fine was publicized on Tuesday.

Financial intelligence agency levies $1.3 million penalty against CIBC

Cyberactivity targeting elections on rise, says report from Canada's e-spy service

Cyberactivity targeting elections on rise, says report from Canada's e-spy service
A new federal report says cyberthreat activity targeting elections is increasing worldwide, and is now more likely to be seen in Canada's next federal ballot. The report by the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security found that in 2022 slightly over one-quarter of all national elections globally had at least one reported cyberincident.

Cyberactivity targeting elections on rise, says report from Canada's e-spy service

Oil and gas emissions cap coming Thursday, targets 2026 start date

Oil and gas emissions cap coming Thursday, targets 2026 start date
The long-promised cap on greenhouse gas emissions for Canada's oil and gas sector will begin as early as 2026 and use a cap-and-trade system that applies by facility, a federal government source said Wednesday. The outline for the policy that the government is set to publish Thursday will show that industry will not be asked to cut emissions as deeply as planned under last year's emissions reduction report, said the source.

Oil and gas emissions cap coming Thursday, targets 2026 start date

Number of Canadians with disabilities doubles in 10 years, hits 8 million: StatCan

Number of Canadians with disabilities doubles in 10 years, hits 8 million: StatCan
The number of Canadians with at least one disability has doubled in 10 years, a reality that should push governments to help reduce barriers to accessibility, says the head of a human rights organization. Statistics Canada data shows that 27 per cent of people 15 and older — about eight million Canadians — reported having at least one disability in 2022, about twice the percentage of people who reported a disability 10 years ago.

Number of Canadians with disabilities doubles in 10 years, hits 8 million: StatCan

Political shift underway in B.C., says confident Conservative Leader John Rustad

Political shift underway in B.C., says confident Conservative Leader John Rustad
B.C. Conservative Leader John Rustad says Premier David Eby and Opposition BC United Leader Kevin Falcon are both looking over their shoulders at the political gains being made by the new kid on the block. Rustad says the presence of his two-member Conservative caucus has stirred debate and changed dialogue at the legislature and the party appears to be gaining momentum with voters as British Columbia's scheduled fall election approaches.  

Political shift underway in B.C., says confident Conservative Leader John Rustad

BC chief coroner Lisa Lapointe retiring

BC chief coroner Lisa Lapointe retiring
The B.C. Coroners Service had been "forever altered" by the public health emergency that continued to take the lives of people of all ages across the province, including more than 2,000 deaths so far this year, Lapointe said in a statement Wednesday. B.C. declared a drug overdose public health emergency in April 2016. Latest numbers show the loss of 13,317 lives, at a current rate of more than six people a day.

BC chief coroner Lisa Lapointe retiring