Feds investigate possible Obama Assasination plot in Denver

[Lennyjoe]

Talk about blowing things out of porportion.  Sounds like 3 meth heads with guns.  Nothing more.  But, being that they are tied to a white supremacy group and are in Denver, things are being spun.

The sniper rifle probably is just a hunting rifle with a scope.  But, since it has a scope it's deemed a "Sniper Rifle".

At least this guy isn't playing into the whole plot;

It could also turn out that these were nothing but a bunch of knuckleheads, meth heads, a U.S. government official said

http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/08/26/obama-possible-plot/

Feds Investigate Possible Obama Assassination Plot in Denver
by FOXNews.com

Three men arrested in Aurora, Colo., on methamphetamine and firearms charges may have been plotting to assassinate Barack Obama, FBI authorities told FOX News late Monday, although local officials are still pondering the intent of the suspects.

Aurora Police Detective Marcus Dudley identified Tharin Gartrell, 28, as one suspect pulled over for a routine traffic stop Sunday and found to be wanted on numerous warrants. Two rifles, including a sniper rifle, and methamphetamines were found in the car.

KCNC in Denver reported that Gartrell led police to a hotel in Glendale, where a second man, who police did not identify, tried to jump out a six-story window. He landed on an awning and took off, but broke his ankle. He was eventually taken into custody and a third man was also arrested.

The men may have ties to Sons of Silence, an outlaw biker group, and are believed to have connections with white supremacists. Federal sources said this incident may have had more to do with methamphetamine than with any plot to assassinate Obama, but local police did not say why they connected the men to the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee.

Federal officials said verbal threats against Obama were made, but were not considered credible.

This is a methamphetamine and firearms case that arose from a traffic stop made by an Aurora Police officer, said Paul Bresson, an FBI national spokesman assigned to the Democratic National Convention in Denver this week. Firearms and methamphetamine were seized and a number of individuals are in state custody.  The matter continues to be under investigation.  Well provide more information as it becomes available.

It could also turn out that these were nothing but a bunch of knuckleheads, meth heads, a U.S. government official said.

Gartrell was being held at the Arapahoe County jail on $50,000 bail on a felony charge of special offender, drug violations. The jail said he did not have a lawyer yet but was due in court Thursday.

U.S. Attorney Troy Eid said in a statement that federal charges were anticipated. Eid did not elaborate, but officials with the FBI; Secret Service; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and Aurora police set a news conference for Tuesday afternoon.

Aurora is located about 25 minutes from Denver.

FOX News Ian McCaleb and The Associated Press contributed to this report

[41magsnub]

"sniper rifle" eh....  I wonder what it really is.

[Manedwolf]

"sniper rifle" eh....  I wonder what it really is.

Any scoped rifle is a "sniper rifle" to the antis.

[Perd Hapley]

So they were in Denver, they had a scoped rifle and made threats against Obama.  And they might have some tenuous links to racist groups. 

A little thin to call it an assassination plot, but it's worth having a look, don't you think?

[Tallpine]

So they were in Denver, they had a scoped rifle and made threats against Obama.  And they might have some tenuous links to racist groups. 

A little thin to call it an assassination plot, but it's worth having a look, don't you think?

Not worth "front page" news 

I'm starting to be surprised that they didn't just confiscate all (known, per 4473s) guns before the convention 

[AJ Dual]

It does not bother me one bit to see a pack of losers like this getting all this exceptional treatment from law enforcment.

However, I think the link to BHO and the DNC convention is going to quietly be downplayed as it becomes clearer that it all got pumped up as it passed from agency to agency, and then to the press urban-legend style. They've got the bad judgment to hang out or be up to "whatever" in Denver during the highest level of security possible. Then being the losers they are, they get "bad copped" by successive LEA's into saying whatever they think will make their interrigators happy, selling each other out...

"Well yeah, agent/officer-whatever uh... come to think of it, so-n-so did say some mean stuff about Obama in the past.. (tears start running down cheeks) I've got a 2 yo kid with Charlene who works at the Denny's over in Boulder, you'll put in a good word with the judge... right?" etc. then all of a sudden it's an "assasination plot".

That's my gut reaction, anyway.

[brimic]

Two rifles, including a sniper rifle

I hope it wasn't one of them evil cop-killing armor-piercing 30-30's. Then again, I hope it was.

[Jamisjockey]

"sniper rifle" eh....  I wonder what it really is.

Any scoped rifle is a "sniper rifle" to the antis.

It is to the Police, too.  Monger more fear of vicious killers so you can get more funding, and neat toys like APC's with .50 cal Ma Deuce's on top!

[Manedwolf]

"sniper rifle" eh....  I wonder what it really is.

Any scoped rifle is a "sniper rifle" to the antis.

It is to the Police, too.  Monger more fear of vicious killers so you can get more funding, and neat toys like APC's with .50 cal Ma Deuce's on top!

ABC said one of the rifles, the one with the scope, was a Ruger .22. Oh. Wow. SUCH AN ASSASSIN RIFLE THAT IS!

What would the terminology for my K-31 with a Nikon scope on it be? A military sniper rifle? 

[seeker_two]

"sniper rifle" eh....  I wonder what it really is.

Any scoped rifle is a "sniper rifle" to the antis.

It is to the Police, too.  Monger more fear of vicious killers so you can get more funding, and neat toys like APC's with .50 cal Ma Deuce's on top!

ABC said one of the rifles, the one with the scope, was a Ruger .22. Oh. Wow. SUCH AN ASSASSIN RIFLE THAT IS!

What would the terminology for my K-31 with a Nikon scope on it be? A military sniper rifle? 

That's HIGH-POWERED military sniper rifle capable of firing armor-piercing, explosive cop-killer bullets to you, serf.....

[Northwoods]

ABC said one of the rifles, the one with the scope, was a Ruger .22. Oh. Wow. SUCH AN ASSASSIN RIFLE THAT IS!

Interestingly the "snipers" in Sarajevo and Northern Ireland were known to favor scoped .22lr rifles.  They'd use heavy, sub-sonic rounds (similar to the Aguila SSS round) and take neck shots.  Very quiet, even without a can, especially if fired indoors from a ways back from a window.  Also very effective within 100 yards or so, especially since the neck is usually not covered by body armor.  Considering how heavilly vascularized the neck is most victims would bleed out before an ambulance could even get there.

That said, I rather doubt the meth heads profiled in the article had such a plan swirling in what's left of their minds.