Asia-Pacific

US man pleads guilty in plot to kill Obama, others

(Agencies)
Updated: 2010-03-30 08:24

WASHINGTON - A US man pleaded guilty on Monday to charges of conspiring to carry out a killing spree targeting African Americans, including then-presidential candidate Barack Obama, the Justice Department said.

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Daniel Cowart, 21, of Bells, Tennessee, said he had plotted with Paul Schlesselman of West Helena, Arkansas to carry out a racially motivated plot to murder dozens of people. He said he had planned to culminate the attacks by assassinating Obama, then a US senator and presidential candidate.

"Despite great civil rights progress, this unthinkable conspiracy serves as a reminder that hate-fueled violence remains all too common in our country," said Thomas Perez, assistant attorney general for the department's Civil Rights division.

Under terms of a plea agreement, Cowart faces between 10 and 75 years in prison.

Schlesselman pleaded guilty in January to three counts and faces 10 years in prison under a plea agreement.