Obama assassination, racial murder plot busted in Tennessee
Federal agents have broken up a plot allegedly hatched by two neo-Nazi skinheads from Tennessee and Arkansas to assassinate Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, the Associated Press reports. The assassination was reportedly to follow a killing spree in which they aimed to murder more than 100 black people.
In court records unsealed today in Tennessee, federal agents said they disrupted the men's plans to rob a gun store and target students at a predominantly black high school. An agent with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives told the AP that the suspects planned to shoot 88 black people and decapitate another 14.
Those numbers are meaningful to neo-Nazis, with "8" referring to the eighth letter of the alphabet -- HH for "Heil Hitler" -- and "14" referring to the 14-word white supremacist credo, "We must secure the existence of our people and a future for white children."
Jim Cavanaugh, special agent in charge of the ATF's Nashville office, said that while the men didn't think they'd get away with it, they wanted to die trying.
Arrested Oct. 22 by the sheriff in Crockett County, Tenn., Daniel Cowart, 20, of Bells, Tenn. and Paul Schlesselman, 18, of West Helena, Ark. are being held without bond, charged with possessing an unregistered firearm, conspiring to steal firearms from a federally licensed gun dealer, and threatening a candidate for president. Authorities say they seized a rifle, a sawed-off shotgun and three pistols from the men.
The ATF is taking the plot seriously, Arkansas Online reports:
In court records unsealed today in Tennessee, federal agents said they disrupted the men's plans to rob a gun store and target students at a predominantly black high school. An agent with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives told the AP that the suspects planned to shoot 88 black people and decapitate another 14.
Those numbers are meaningful to neo-Nazis, with "8" referring to the eighth letter of the alphabet -- HH for "Heil Hitler" -- and "14" referring to the 14-word white supremacist credo, "We must secure the existence of our people and a future for white children."
Jim Cavanaugh, special agent in charge of the ATF's Nashville office, said that while the men didn't think they'd get away with it, they wanted to die trying.
Arrested Oct. 22 by the sheriff in Crockett County, Tenn., Daniel Cowart, 20, of Bells, Tenn. and Paul Schlesselman, 18, of West Helena, Ark. are being held without bond, charged with possessing an unregistered firearm, conspiring to steal firearms from a federally licensed gun dealer, and threatening a candidate for president. Authorities say they seized a rifle, a sawed-off shotgun and three pistols from the men.
The ATF is taking the plot seriously, Arkansas Online reports:
"They seemed determined to do it," Cavanaugh said. "Even if they were just to try it, it would be a trail of tears around the South."
Tags
Sue Sturgis
Sue is the editorial director of Facing South and the Institute for Southern Studies.