US terror suspect reveals plot to shoot Obama

Washington, March 7: A US man arrested on terrorism charges revealed that he had plotted to shoot President Barack Obama and bomb the Capitol to retaliate against the US airstrikes against the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group, Xinhua reported citing a TV station.

The FOX 19 WXIX-TV in Cincinnati, Ohio, aired Friday night part of its phone interview with Christopher Lee Cornell, 20, who is being held in a Kentucky jail.

He confessed that had he not been arrested in January, he would have put one of his guns to Obama's head and pulled the trigger, and then attacked the Capitol, the Israeli embassy and various other buildings.

Cornell, who identified himself as a Muslim, said he planned to launch the attack because of "continued American aggression against our people and the fact that America, specifically President Obama, wants to wage war against Islamic State".

"I got orders from the brothers overseas because I'm with the Islamic State. My brothers over there, in Syria and Iraq, gave me specific orders to carry out jihad in the West, so I did so," Cornell said, referring to the IS militants who are fighting in Syria and Iraq.

Cornell, a resident of Cincinnati, was detained outside a gun shop on January 14 after buying firearms and 600 rounds of ammunition.

He had reportedly researched online how to make pipe bombs and discussed with an informant from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) about his plan for attacking the Capitol with pipe bombs and shooting government officials.

Cornell has been charged with attempted murder of government officials and possession of a firearm in the furtherance of attempted crime of violence and solicitation to commit a crime of violence, which carry sentences of up to 20 years each if convicted.

IANS