Feds Disrupt Skinhead Plot to Assassinate Obama

[pinksirfidel]

Feds disrupt skinhead plot to assassinate Obama

By LARA JAKES JORDAN
Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON — Two white supremacists allegedly plotted to go on a national killing spree, shooting and decapitating black people and ultimately targeting Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, federal authorities said Monday.
In all, the two men whom officials described as neo-Nazi skinheads planned to kill 88 people — 14 by beheading, according to documents unsealed in U.S. District Court in Jackson, Tenn. The numbers 88 and 14 are symbolic in the white supremacist community.
(enlarge photo)
This Oct. 2008 image provided by the Crockett County Sheriff Office shows Paul Michael Schlesselman. White supremacists Daniel Cowart, 20, and Paul Schlesselman, 18, allegedly plotted to go on a national killing spree, shooting and decapitating black people and ultimately targeting Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, federal authorities said Monday, Oct. 27, 2008. (AP Photo/Crockett County Sheriff Office)

The spree, which initially targeted an unidentified predominantly African-American school, was to end with the two men driving toward Obama, "shooting at him from the windows," the court documents show.

"Both individuals stated they would dress in all-white tuxedos and wear top hats during the assassination attempt," the court complaint states. "Both individuals further stated they knew they would and were willing to die during this attempt."
An Obama spokeswoman traveling with the senator in Pennsylvania had no immediate comment.

Sheriffs' deputies in Crockett County, Tenn., arrested the two suspects — Daniel Cowart, 20, of Bells, Tenn., and Paul Schlesselman 18, of Helena-West Helena, Ark. — Oct. 22 on unspecified charges. "Once we arrested the defendants and suspected they had violated federal law, we immediately contacted federal authorities," said Crockett County Sheriff Troy Klyce.

The two were charged by federal authorities Monday with possessing an unregistered firearm, conspiring to steal firearms from a federally licensed gun dealer, and threatening a candidate for president.

Cowart and Schlesselman are being held without bond. Agents seized a rifle, a sawed-off shotgun and three pistols from the men when they were arrested. Authorities alleged the two men were preparing to break into a gun shop to steal more.
Jasper Taylor, city attorney in Bells, said Cowart was arrested on Wednesday. He was held for a few days in Bells, then moved over the weekend to another facility.

"It was kept under lid until today," Taylor said.

Until his arrest, Cowart lived with his grandparents in a southern, rural part of the county, Taylor said, adding that Cowart apparently never graduated from high school. He moved away, possibly to Arkansas or Texas, then returned over the summer, Taylor said.

Attorney Joe Byrd, who has been hired to represent Cowart, did not immediately return a call seeking comment Monday. Messages left on two phone numbers listed under Cowart's name were not immediately returned.

No telephone number for Schlesselman in Helena-West Helena could be found immediately.

The court documents say the two men met about a month ago on the Internet and found common ground in their shared "white power" and "skinhead" philosophy.

The numbers 14 and 88 are symbols in skinhead culture, referring to a 14-word phrase attributed to an imprisoned white supremacist: "We must secure the existence of our people and a future for white children" and to the eighth letter of the alphabet, H. Two "8"s or "H"s stand for "Heil Hitler."

Court records say Cowart and Schlesselman also bought nylon rope and ski masks to use in a robbery or home invasion to fund their spree, during which they allegedly planned to go from state to state and kill people. Agents said the skinheads did not identify the African-American school they were targeting by name.

Jim Cavanaugh, special agent in charge of the Nashville, Tenn., field office for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, said authorities took the threats very seriously.

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

He added: "They seemed determined to do it. Even if they were just to try it, it would be a trail of tears around the South."

An ATF affidavit filed in the case says Cowart and Schlesselman told investigators the day they were arrested they had shot at a glass window at Beech Grove Church of Christ, a congregation of about 60 black members in Brownsville, Tenn.
Nelson Bond, the church secretary and treasurer, said no one was at the church when the shot was fired. Members found the bullet had shattered the glass in the church's front door when they arrived for evening Bible study.

"We have been on this site for about 120 years, and we have never had a problem like this before," said Bond, 53 and a church member for 45 years.

The investigation is continuing, and more charges are possible, Cavanaugh said. He said there's no evidence — so far — that others were willing to assist Cowart and Schlesselman with the plot.

At this point, there does not appear to be any formal assassination plan, Secret Service spokesman Eric Zahren said.
"Whether or not they had the capability or the wherewithal to carry out an attack remains to be seen," he said.

Zahren said the statements about the assassination came out in interviews after the men were arrested last week.
The Secret Service became involved in the investigation once it was clear that an Obama assassination attempt was part of this violent, far-reaching plot.

"We don't discount anything," Zahren said, adding that it's one thing for the defendants to make statements, but it's not the same as having an organized assassination plan.

Helena-West Helena, on the Mississippi River in east Arkansas' Delta, is in one of the nation's poorest regions, trailing even parts of Appalachia in its standard of living. Police Chief Fred Fielder said he had never heard of Schlesselman.

However, the reported threat of attacking a school filled with black students worried Fielder. Helena-West Helena, with a population of 12,200, is 66 percent black. "Predominantly black school, take your pick," he said.

___
Associated Press writers Erik Schelzig in Nashville, Tenn., Jon Gambrell in Little Rock, Ark., and Eileen Sullivan in Washington contributed to this report.

http://www.ajc.com/news/content/shar..._16_17_id550_e

[KSUViolet06]

You know, assassination attempts take brains, and I don't think these guys have it. Any person that has been arrested in connection with an Obama assassination doesn't seem to be um, bright enough. I wouldn't be worried.

[preciousjeni]

Perhaps Obama is well-guarded, but what about the dozens of other people they intended to kill? And they aren't the only ones with such a plan, I'm sure. These folks need Jesus.

[DaemonSeid]

and yet, you have some cities mobilizing police and military forces for fear of riots..........

[preciousjeni]

My father told me yesterday that gun sales are up because people are afraid of what will happen if Obama is elected. I find that hard-to-believe right wing propaganda (based on the source).

[DaemonSeid]

Originally Posted by preciousjeni

My father told me yesterday that gun sales are up because people are afraid of what will happen if Obama is elected. I find that hard-to-believe right wing propaganda (based on the source).

It's either that or people are talking serious hooey.

I have seen some right wing sites where people are actually discussing 'stocking up' in case the 'criminal hoodlum element' should decide to do 'harm' in their areas.

But I have to ask tho.....which will incite a riot more?

Obama winning or McCain winning **think about that**

[deepimpact2]

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06

You know, assassination attempts take brains, and I don't think these guys have it. Any person that has been arrested in connection with an Obama assassination doesn't seem to be um, bright enough. I wouldn't be worried.

I agree.

[Kevin]

Would the incident at Jena, LA count?

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by RU OX Alum

What is the new South? I've heard this term and was confused. Please explain. /hijack.

Originally Posted by DaemonSeid

and ditto to that question about the 'new' South

Generally speaking, "New South" refers to the post-segregation, post-Jim Crow, post-Civil Rights Movement, and, perhaps, post-agrarian-based economy South. As opposed to the Old South.

[ASTalumna06]

^^ Agreed.

I grew up in southern NH/MA, and I now live in PA, and I never came across any of this "violent racism" he speaks of.

There are hate crimes committed every day across the country, some of which probably will never even be identified as such. To say that this type of behavior mainly happens in the West and Northeast, based on the occurrence of a few race riots, is ridiculous.

And even when it comes to non-violent racism, I believe it is much more apparent in the south than it is in the north.

[Benzgirl]

Originally Posted by ASTalumna06

^^ Agreed.

I grew up in southern NH/MA, and I now live in PA, and I never came across any of this "violent racism" he speaks of.

There are hate crimes committed every day across the country, some of which probably will never even be identified as such. To say that this type of behavior mainly happens in the West and Northeast, based on the occurrence of a few race riots, is ridiculous.

And even when it comes to non-violent racism, I believe it is much more apparent in the south than it is in the north.

Trust me, there is violent racism in Ohio. The KKK and the Arian Brothers are very much in the rural areas and southern Ohio. I can't say we have ever had unfortunate people being dragged to death, but hate is all over.

I will never forget when former Cleveland Mayor Michael White, who happened to be black not only allowed a KKK Rally, but he ensured their safety in order to protect their First Amendment Rights. It proved this mayor had more brains and backbone than the ugly demonstrators.

[ASTalumna06]

Originally Posted by Benzgirl

Trust me, there is violent racism in Ohio. The KKK and the Arian Brothers are very much in the rural areas and southern Ohio. I can't say we have ever had unfortunate people being dragged to death, but hate is all over.

Trust me, I'm not saying there isn't any racism present in the north/northeast. The point is, it's not centered in these areas, and there aren't numerous incidents of violet racism there, as Daemonseid had suggested.

[texas*princess]

that's so crazy.

[VandalSquirrel]

Originally Posted by UGAalum94

http://www.adl.org/learn/extremism_i...sm_in_the_News

http://www.portlandtribune.com/news/...04368291538100

I don't think any area is without racial and ethnic incident. I only googled Portland because someone claimed that the pacific northwest didn't have issues like this.

The Southern Poverty Law Center tracks hate groups by state:
http://www.splcenter.org/intel/map/hate.jsp

Originally Posted by PeppyGPhiB

I didn't say the PacNW was without incident. I said "racial violence" is not more of a west coast thing.

If you add up the groups in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington together, we still don't have as many in the single states of Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Texas, and only one more than Tennessee.

There's a few parts to this though. Up here there is a lot of land, people can live on their own, mind their own business, and Oregon and Washington both don't have income tax, Oregon doesn't have sales tax either. You can have a little separatist group and be survivalists, and a lot of time they don't even do anything locally. The Aryan Nation moved back east and the City of Coeur d'Alene would shut down when a hate group wanted to have a parade. I'm not saying there aren't hateful, ignorant people in Idaho, but they aren't organized in these groups, these groups are mostly outsiders from elsewhere.

I also find random irony with a hate group targets Jews in an area with a very small amount of Jews. Also with the League of the South group active in states that didn't even exist during the Confederacy. To be honest the hate crimes in the area have changed to members of GLBTQ community members being attacked, with many in the two local college towns.

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by VandalSquirrel

If you add up the groups in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington together, we still don't have as many in the single states of Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Texas, and only one more than Tennessee.

Sure, but doesn't California have more than any of the southern states? It's still west coast.

Oregon and Idaho are more than 90% White and Washington is about 88% White. I wouldn't really expect a whole lot of racial incidents in a community so dominantly of one race or ethnicity. (ETA:I think there has to be a perception of scarcity or competition before hate groups get crazy; "they're taking over" or "we're losing what's ours" kind of thinking. I do think you have some groups moving in to Idaho in particular from elsewhere, but I don't think Idaho is a racial pressure cooker in itself.)