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The newspaper La Jornada
Wednesday, July 17, 2024, p. 26

Washington. A threat from Iran prompted the Secret Service to step up protection for Donald Trump ahead of an attempted assassination of the former president on Saturday that appears to be unrelated to the original threat, according to two U.S. officials. Iran has denied the allegations.

Upon learning of the threat, President Joe Biden’s administration contacted the Secret Service to warn them, and that information was shared with the top security official in charge of protecting Trump and his campaign. That led the agency to increase resources and assets to protect the tycoon. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive intelligence matters.

The extra resources did not prevent Saturday’s attack at a Trump rally in Pennsylvania that left the Republican wounded in the ear, killed one rally-goer and seriously injured two others. The man behind the attack was identified as Thomas Mathew Crooks, 20, who was shot dead by the Secret Service.

White House National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson said: These threats stem from Iran’s desire to seek revenge for the assassination of Qasem Soleimani.

Trump ordered the elimination of Soleimani, who led the Quds Force of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, in 2020.

At this time, law enforcement has reported that their investigation has not identified any links between the sniper and any accomplices or co-conspirators, foreign or domestic.Watson added.

Tehran’s rejection

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said: The Islamic Republic of Iran is determined to hold Trump accountable for his direct role in the assassination of General Qasem Soleimani (…), but strongly rejects any interference in the recent armed assassination attempt against Trump and statements about Iran’s intention to take such a step, and considers such statements to have politically biased objectives and motives..