Posted by AP on
At least three people have been arrested in the US over an alleged plot to kill US Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama, reports say.
At least three people have been arrested in the US over an alleged plot to kill US Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama, reports say.
The suspects planned to shoot Mr Obama in Denver, Colorado, during his speech accepting the nomination to run for US president, CBS4 TV station reports.
Police seized weapons and drugs as they made the first arrest on Sunday.
However, the US attorney for Colorado, Troy Eid, said he was confident "there is no credible threat" to Mr Obama.
The attorney's office in Denver is due to hold a news conference later on Tuesday to discuss the incident.
The alleged plot is being investigated by the Secret Service, which is responsible for overall security during the four-day Democratic Party convention in Denver, the FBI and also the joint terrorism task force, officials say.
'Confession'
The first suspect was held on Sunday in Aurora, after he was stopped by police for driving erratically in a rented truck, reports say.
Police give arrest details
Police then found two rifles in the vehicle along with camouflage clothing, walkie-talkies and methamphetamine.
The suspect was identified as 28-year-old Tharin Gartrell.
Mr Gartrell's alleged associate, Nathan Johnson, 32, was arrested shortly afterwards in a Denver hotel.
The third man was held after jumping-out from a six-floor hotel window. Reports say Shawn Robert Adolf, 33, broke his ankle and was taken to a hospital for treatment.
One of the suspects told authorities they were "going to shoot Obama from a high vantage point using a... rifle," CBS4 reported.