itsmeeeeeee

FBI looks into Denver reports of threat on Obama

By STEVEN K. PAULSON, Associated Press Writer 25 minutes ago

DENVER - Federal authorities are looking into reports that a man arrested with rifles, ammunition and drugs in his truck may have made threats against Barack Obama, officials said Monday.


Two other men were arrested in the case.

"It's premature to say that it was a valid threat or that these folks have the ability to carry it out," said a U.S. government official familiar with the investigation. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing.

Obama will be in Denver later this week to accept the Democratic nomination for president.

FBI spokeswoman Kathy Wright confirmed the FBI was investigating the reports but declined to elaborate. The Joint Information Center — a command set up by Denver, state and federal authorities to field media inquiries during the Democratic convention — said it had no immediate comment.

Tharin Gartrell, 28, was arrested during a traffic stop early Sunday by police in the eastern Denver suburb of Aurora. In his truck, officers found two rifles, including one with a scope; a bulletproof vest; boxes of ammunition; walkie-talkies; and suspected narcotics, said Aurora police Detective Marcus Dudley.

Police alerted federal authorities, who soon arrested Nathan Johnson, 32, at a hotel in Denver, Dudley said. A third man, Shawn Robert Adolf, 33, was arrested at a suburban Glendale hotel, Dudley said.

Adolf allegedly tried to escape officers by jumping from a sixth-floor window. He was hospitalized and was being held on $1 million bond for several outstanding warrants involving drug charges. Johnson also was being held on drug charges and his bond was unknown, Dudley said.

It wasn't known if the three men had attorneys, Dudley said.

Dudley didn't say what tied the men together but that more arrests were possible. One of the rifles was stolen, and authorities had traced it to Kansas, Dudley said. He declined to say to whom it belonged.

Aurora police alerted federal officials because of heightened security surrounding the Democratic convention, Dudley said.

"Clearly we found there are federal implications — otherwise we would not have notified them," he said. "The weapons clearly would cause great concern."

U.S. Attorney Troy Eid said the case was under investigation. "We're absolutely confident there is no credible threat to the candidate, the Democratic National Convention, or the people of Colorado," Eid said in a statement.

Officials with the FBI, Secret Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Aurora police set a news conference for Tuesday afternoon.

Law enforcers in Denver are trying to find out whether the reported threats to Obama were valid. "It could also turn out that these were nothing but a bunch of knuckleheads, meth-heads," the U.S. government official said.

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RK77

They have drug dealers in the Rockies? Is nothing sacred..........????

DanS.

Why do you think they call it Mile High City?

*actually they've got the most relaxed drug laws...it's only a fine for possesion there.

gonzo

Suspected narcotics? They can confirm arms, ammo and vests, but they don't have field drug test kits?

The John Denver PD?

CosmicRocker

sounds like the old show " Dragnet" .every drug was narcotics.

when in truth only opiates, or synthetic analgenics are narcotics.

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Traveling Wilburys (l to r)

Bob Dylan, Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty, George Harrison, Roy Orbison

itsmeeeeeee

Possible Obama connection in gun arrest - The Denver Post



Federal authorities have scheduled a press conference for Tuesday afternoon amid reports that a fortunate traffic stop by Aurora Police may have disrupted an assassination attempt against Barack Obama.

KUSA-TV is reporting that two men have been arrested on weapons charges after the traffic stop early Sunday.

The first man, identified by the station as Tharin Gartrell, 28, was charged with suspicion of being a felon in possession of a weapon after police found two rifles, a high-powered scope and methamphetamine in his car after the traffic stop.

When police accompanied Gartrell to his hotel in Glendale, a second man jumped from a window and was injured in a four-story fall, according to the station. That man was then arrested, but has not been identified by police.

Federal authorities are refusing to comment about why they believe the case is possibly tied to an assassination plot, but scheduled a news conference for 4 p.m. Tuesday.

and from another report: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/0..._n_121293.html
"Law enforcement sources told CBS affiliate KCNC in Denver that one of the suspects "was directly asked if they had come to Denver to kill Obama. He responded in the affirmative."

and this - Official: Man wasn't a 'credible threat' to Obama

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/20...a_credible.php

Authorities say man arrested near Denver with rifle never posed 'credible threat' to Obama

STEVEN K. PAULSON
AP News

Aug 26, 2008 07:14 EST

Authorities are investigating whether a man arrested with rifles, ammunition and drugs in his truck made statements threatening Barack Obama, but emphasize he never posed a "credible threat" to the candidate or the Democratic National Convention.

Federal and local authorities had scheduled a news conference for Tuesday afternoon, but U.S. Attorney Troy Eid downplayed the case.

"We're absolutely confident there is no credible threat to the candidate, the Democratic National Convention, or the people of Colorado," Eid said in a statement.

FBI spokeswoman Kathy Wright confirmed the FBI was investigating reports the man had threatened Obama, who will be in Denver this week to accept the Democratic nomination for president. The Joint Information Center — a command set up by city, state and federal authorities to field media inquiries during the Democratic convention — said it had no immediate comment.

One of the men arrested told KCNC-TV, the CBS affiliate in Denver, that others involved in the case had made racist statements regarding Obama and had discussed killing Obama on the day of his nomination acceptance speech.

When asked if he felt there was a plot to kill Obama, Nathan Johnson said, "Looking back at it, I don't want to say yes, but I don't want to say no." Johnson was interviewed while being held in jail on drug charges. He said he wasn't involved in any plot.

The action started around 1:30 a.m. Sunday when police in the eastern suburb of Aurora stopped a truck that was swerving erratically. The driver, 28-year-old Tharin Gartrell, had a suspended driver's license, and the truck was rented in the name of another person, said Aurora police Detective Marcus Dudley.

In the truck, officers found two rifles, including one with a scope; a bulletproof vest; boxes of ammunition; walkie-talkies; and suspected narcotics, Dudley said.

Aurora police, on edge because of heightened security surrounding the Democratic convention in Denver, alerted federal authorities.

Three hours later, at 4:30 a.m. Sunday, federal agents arrested Johnson, 32, at a hotel in Denver. He was being held on drug charges, Dudley said.

A half-hour after that, 33-year-old Shawn Robert Adolf jumped from a sixth-story window when authorities tried to arrest him at a hotel in suburban Glendale, police said.

Adolf was hospitalized and was being held on $1 million bond for several outstanding warrants involving drug charges.

Dudley didn't say what tied the men together but said more arrests were possible. One of the rifles was stolen, and authorities had traced it to Kansas, Dudley said.

It wasn't known if the three men had attorneys, Dudley said.

Dudley said Gartrell was being investigated for methamphetamine and firearms violations. Gartrell, who has no known address, was being held at the Arapahoe County jail on $50,000 bail on drug and weapons charges. The jail said he was due in court Thursday.

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Heretic

It's a rule, you know, that white supremists come from the shallow pissed in part of the genepool.

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"In space no one can hear you scream. in D.C. it won't matter..." -Clinton Resurrection: The Alien Queen lives!

ibex

Please tell me you're joking RK. Just look at the pics of these low lifes. The whole thing screams vo tech drop outs on meth.

ibex

I wonder what the guy on the left was thinking when he decided to go for the fucking 1985 dye job.

Heretic

Obviously thought had nothing to do with it.

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"In space no one can hear you scream. in D.C. it won't matter..." -Clinton Resurrection: The Alien Queen lives!