Two white supremacists have just been arraigned and officially charged with plotting to murder newly elected President Barack Obama and multiple other African Americans.
Daniel Cowart, a 20-year old from Tennessee, and Paul Schlesselman, an 18-year old from Arkansas, pled not guilty today to seven federal charges. This long list of felonies includes:
If convicted on all counts, Cowart and Schlesselman will face up to 50 years in jail and a slew of fines that will likely exceed $500,000.
The various felonies with which Cowart and Schlesselman are being charged were all committed in an effort to exact a national crime spree. According to authorities, these two white supremacists were planning to:
The number “88″ is a significant symbol in skinhead and white supremacist circles, as it is a numerical tribute to Hilter (The number “8″ refers to the eighth letter of the alphabet “H.” Consequently, “88″ translates to “HH,” which is an acronym for “Heil Hitler).
Authorities were able to intervene before any of the above plans were enacted due to a tip phoned in by an acquaintance of the suspects. The informant turned to the police after witnessing Cowart and Schlesselman shooting at a Memphis-area church primarily attended by African Americans.
While an official trial date has yet to be set, authorities, including the Secret Service, are still investigating the extent of the suspects’ plots and crimes.
(Source: New York Times)
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