Neo-Nazis foiled in 'assassination plot' targeting Obama and black pupils

Two skinhead neo-Nazis accused of planning to kill presidential candidate as the culmination of a murder spree targeting black people

Peter Walker, Elana Schor in Washington and agencies
Tuesday October 28 2008 09.53 GMT

US police claim to have foiled an alleged plot by two skinhead neo-Nazis to assassinate Barack Obama as the culmination of a murder spree targeting black people.

According to federal authorities, Daniel Cowart, 20, and Paul Schlesselman, 18, who were arrested in Tennessee on Wednesday, planned to attack an unidentified high school where most pupils were African-American. They intended to shoot 88 people and behead 14 others, before trying to shoot Obama.