ATF breaks up plot to assassinate Obama

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 yesterday.

In all, the two men whom officials describe as neo-Nazi skinheads planned to kill 88 people, 14 by beheading, according to documents unsealed in US District Court in Jackson, Tenn.

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

"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.

The two suspects, Daniel Cowart, 20, of Bells, Tenn., and Paul Schlesselman 18, of Helena-West Helena, Ark., were arrested Oct. 22 and were charged by federal authorities yesterday 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.

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."

Jim Cavanaugh, special agent in charge of the Nashville 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 Senator 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."