Two arrested in plot to kill Obama, other Blacks

Washington, Oct 28 : Federal authorities in Tennessee have announced that they had arrested two alleged White supremacists who reportedly were planning a killing spree that would end with the assassination of Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama.

Daniel Cowart (20) of Bells and Paul Schlesselman (18) of West Helena, were charged in US District Court in Jackson, Tennessee, with the illegal possession of a sawed-off shotgun, conspiracy to rob a gun store and making threats.

In court records unsealed on Monday, federal agents said they broke up plans to rob a gun store and target a predominantly African-American high school by two neo-Nazi skinheads. Agents said the skinheads did not identify the school by name, FOX News reported.

A source in the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said that the two skinheads, who were picked up in Crockett County, were plotting to shoot 88 black students -- and decapitate 14.

The source said officials believe the suspects were planning to attempt an assassination against Obama. The numbers 88 and 14 are symbolic in the White supremacist community.

But officials could not describe how advanced or credible the plot was.

Jim Cavanaugh, special agent in charge of the Nashville field office for the ATF, said the suspects also sought to go on a national killing spree, with Obama as its final target.

"They said that would be their last, final act -- that they would attempt to kill Obama," Cavanaugh said. "They didn't believe they would be able to do it, but that they would get killed trying."

According to the affidavit, the suspects planned "to drive their vehicle as fast as they could toward Obama shooting at him from the windows."

The court document states that the suspects planned to dress in all-white tuxedos and top hats during the assassination attempt, and that they stated they were willing to die during this attempt.

A senior Obama campaign official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said no one in the campaign was notified of the plot before Monday's announcement. Campaign officials say they do not believe the plot posed a serious threat to the Democratic nominee.

ANI