A man with a loaded AK-47 was arrested outside the home of an Iranian journalist in Brooklyn

Alinejad was the goal of an alleged kidnapping plot final 12 months by Iranian nationals after talking out in opposition to the Iranian regime. The indictment within the case alleged the plot was organized by an Iranian intelligence official, however Iran’s international ministry has denied any involvement, calling the cost ‘baseless and ridiculous’, in line with media studies. semi-official Iranian statesmen.

Alinejad mentioned she was residence Thursday when federal brokers knowledgeable her of the existence of the armed particular person.

“The FBI instructed me to ‘avoid residence,'” Alinejad instructed CNN by telephone on Sunday. “I used to be in shock. I could not even imagine it. I used to be like, ‘If I opened the door, what was I going to do?'”

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NYPD officers arrested Khalid Mehdiyev on Thursday afternoon as he drove away from the Brooklyn neighborhood after failing to cease at a cease signal, in line with a federal prison criticism obtained by CNN. He additionally mentioned NYPD officers found he was driving with out a legitimate license. Regulation enforcement officers then discovered a suitcase within the backseat of his car containing a loaded AK-47 kind assault rifle with a cartridge within the chamber, an extra second journal and $1,100 in money. of $100, in line with the criticism.

He’s charged with possession of a firearm with an erased serial quantity. Mehdiyev is predicted to be again in court docket on August 12. CNN reached out to his lawyer, Stephanie Marie Carvlin, for remark, however didn’t hear again.

Regulation enforcement officers say they noticed Yonkers resident Mehdiyev within the Brooklyn borough twice final week, Wednesday and Thursday, and in addition found he had obtained a parking ticket in the identical neighborhood the earlier weekend, July 23. in line with the criticism.

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On Thursday morning, Mehdiyev drove a grey Subaru Forester SUV with Illinois license plates and remained within the space for a number of hours the place he “behaved suspiciously,” the criticism states. On one event, Mehdiyev acquired out and in of his automotive a number of occasions, ordered a meals supply service in his automotive and approached a home within the neighborhood – the place Alinejad lives – trying contained in the home windows. and attempting to open the entrance door, in line with the criticism.

Alinejad says she was on a Zoom name with Human Rights Basis President Garry Kasparov and Venezuelan politician and opposition chief Leopoldo López when she found the armed particular person.

“I am glad my buddy @Alinejad Masih is wholesome and protected and that the police acted competently in opposition to what might have been a lethal state of affairs,” Kasparov mentioned. tweeted from his verified account on Sunday.

The activist shared a safety video on her official Twitter account of the person she says federal brokers instructed her was the identical man arrested by police on Thursday.

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“These are the chilling scenes capturing a person who tried to enter my home in New York with a loaded gun to kill me,” she tweeted, though no gun was seen within the picture. “Final 12 months, the FBI prevented the Islamic Republic from kidnapping me. My crime is to present voice to the unvoiced. The American administration have to be robust on terrorism.”

Alinejad says she has spoken with federal brokers month-to-month for the reason that alleged kidnapping try final 12 months.

“I actually thought the plot was over. I used to be like, ‘OK, I can give attention to my job’ – what I will do, nothing will cease me,” she mentioned.

“I see this as a continuation of attempting to undercut Iranian girls,” the activist instructed CNN.

Alinejad, who steadily shares photographs and movies of what she says are ‘unvoiced’ Iranian girls by means of her social media accounts, mentioned Iranian officers just lately warned her in opposition to persevering with her activism. .

A spokesperson for Iran’s Headquarters for Selling Advantage and Stopping Vice introduced in July that anybody who sends movies to Alinejad relating to the hijab or commits different anti-government actions will face a penalty of as much as 10 years in jail.

“It is the twenty first century: sufficient is sufficient,” Alinejad mentioned. “I left my nation, Iran, to be protected, to be the voice of the unvoiced. That is my crime. I need to take pleasure in freedom of speech as an American.”

CNN’s Liam Rielly contributed to this report.


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