Feds disrupt skinhead plot to kill Obama

[LeMansX5]

Feds disrupt skinhead plot to kill Obama

October 27, 2008 at 4:28 PM | Comments (0)

Federal agents have broken up a plot by two neo-Nazi skinheads to assassinate Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama and shoot or decapitate 102 black people, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives said today.
In court records unsealed today in U.S. District Court in Jackson, Tenn., federal agents said they disrupted plans to rob a gun store and target a predominantly African-American high school in a murder spree that was to begin in Tennessee.
Agents said the skinheads did not identify the school by name.


Jim Cavanaugh, special agent in charge of ATF's Nashville field office, said the two men planned to shoot 88 black people and decapitate another 14. The numbers 88 and 14 are symbolic in the white supremacist community.

The men also sought to go on a national killing spree after the Tennessee murders, with Obama as its final target, Cavanaugh told The Associated Press.

"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."

An Obama spokeswoman traveling with the senator in Pennsylvania had no immediate comment.

The men, Daniel Cowart, 20, of Bells, Tenn., and Paul Schlesselman 18, of West Helena, Ark., 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.

Attorney Joe Byrd, who has been hired to represent Cowart, did not immediately return a call seeking comment Monday.

Cowart and Schlesselman are charged with possessing an unregistered firearm, conspiring to steal firearms from a federally licensed gun dealer, and threatening a candidate for president.

The investigation is continuing, and more charges are possible, Cavanaugh said.
The 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.

For the Obama plot, the legal documents show, Cowart and Schlesselman "planned to drive their vehicle as fast as they could toward Obama shooting at him from the windows."

ATF: Plot by skinheads to kill Obama is foiled
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27405681/

[lakai]

Where's the FBI ? ATF has no authority.

[Quicksilver]

When ATF Agents seize 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 then i believe that qualifies

Originally Posted by lakai

Where's the FBI ? ATF has no authority.

[Krimson X]

In court records unsealed 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.

I suppose the ATF would have jurisdiction over this.

[Krimson X]

ATF Special Agents have some of the broadest authority of any federal agency, as ATF Special Agents are empowered by 18 USC 3051 to enforce any violation of Federal law under any statute in the United States Code. Specifically, ATF special agents have lead investigative authority on any federal crime committed with a firearm or explosive, as well as investigative authority over regulatory referrals and tobacco trafficking. ATF special agents also often enforce violations of the Uniformed Controlled Substances Act, and have the statutory authority to conduct narcotics cases independently of the Drug Enforcement Administration or any other agency. ATF Special Agents consistently rank at the top or near the top of all federal agencies in cases referred for prosecution, arrests made, and average time per defendant on an annual basis.

[lakai]

ATF does NOT have the authority to make arrests, they have to work in conjunction with local law enforcement. Don't you think the FBI and secret service would be all over this ?

[Krimson X]

Originally Posted by lakai

ATF does NOT have the authority to make arrests, they have to work in conjunction with local law enforcement. Don't you think the FBI and secret service would be all over this ?

Oh really?

18 USC 3051(a)

Special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, as well as any other investigator or officer charged by the Attorney General with the duty of enforcing any of the criminal, seizure, or forfeiture provisions of the laws of the United States, may carry firearms, serve warrants and subpoenas issued under the authority of the United States and make arrests without warrant for any offense against the United States committed in their presence, or for any felony cognizable under the laws of the United States if they have reasonable grounds to believe that the person to be arrested has committed or is committing such felony.

[JCL]

Originally Posted by lakai

ATF does NOT have the authority to make arrests, they have to work in conjunction with local law enforcement. Don't you think the FBI and secret service would be all over this ?

I am not sure I follow your logic. Are you defending the suspects?

A Google search of ATF Arrest returned 473,000 hits. Maybe all the arrests referenced in those links broke protocol as well?

[lakai]

Originally Posted by JCL

I am not sure I follow your logic. Are you defending the suspects?

A Google search of ATF Arrest returned 473,000 hits. Maybe all the arrests referenced in those links broke protocol as well?

NO. Lets lake that perfectly clear. In majority of cases, the ATF works with the Sheriff, who makes the arrest. Try to understand what the ATF's job is. They are not the same as the DEA and FBI.

[JCL]

Originally Posted by lakai

NO. Lets make that perfectly clear.

OK, thanks.

Now, the charges (from the media report, so this may not be perfectly accurate) allege "possessing an unregistered firearm, conspiring to steal firearms from a federally licensed gun dealer, and threatening a candidate for president"

The first seems to be an ATF responsibility, the second seems to be an ATF responsibility, and the third appears to be an ATF responsibility if they were threatening the candidate via alcohol, firearms, or tobacco. Sorry, a moment of levity. The accused do, after all, appear to be nut cases.

What suggests that ATF overstepped their bounds, given the information above on their authority levels?