A Secret Service agent holds the door for U.S. Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama on his way to a campaign rally in Pittsburgh, Pa., on Monday. (Jason Reed/Reuters)U.S. authorities said Monday they have broken up a plot to assassinate U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama and shoot or decapitate 88 black people in Tennessee.

In court records unsealed Monday, federal agents said they disrupted plans by two neo-Nazi skinheads to rob a gun store and target a predominantly African-American high school.

The skinheads did not identify the school by name, federal agents said.

The two men planned to kill 88 black people, including 14 by beheading, said Jim Cavanaugh, special agent in charge of the Nashville field office for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

The men also sought to go on a national killing spree, with Obama as their final target, Cavanaugh told The Associated Press.

"They said that would be their last, final act — that they would attempt to kill Senator Obama," Cavanaugh said. "They didn't believe they would be able to do it, but that they would get killed trying."

An Obama spokeswoman travelling with the senator in Pennsylvania had no immediate comment.

The men, Daniel Cowart, 20, of Bells, Tenn., and Paul Schlesselman 18, of West Helena, Ark., are being held without bond. Agents seized a rifle, a sawed-off shotgun and three pistols from the men when they were arrested. Authorities alleged the two men were preparing to break into a gun shop to steal more.

Attorney Joe Byrd, who has been hired to represent Cowart, did not immediately return a call seeking comment Monday.

Cowart and Schlesselman are charged with possessing an unregistered firearm, conspiring to steal firearms from a federally licensed gun dealer, and threatening a candidate for president.

More charges possible

The investigation is continuing and more charges are possible, Cavanaugh said.

Cowart and Schlesselman also bought nylon rope and ski masks to use in a robbery or home invasion to fund their spree, during which they allegedly planned to go from state to state and kill people, the court records say.

In this undated photo obtained from a MySpace webpage, Daniel Cowart, 20 of Bells, Tenn., is shown holding a weapon. Cowart and associate Paul Schlesselman 18, of West Helena, Ark., are being held without bond. (Associated Press)For the Obama plot, the legal documents show, Cowart and Schlesselman "planned to drive their vehicle as fast as they could toward Obama shooting at him from the windows."

"Both individuals stated they would dress in all white tuxedos and wear top hats during the assassination attempt," the court complaint states. "Both individuals further stated they knew they would and were willing to die during this attempt."

There is no evidence so far that others were willing to assist Cowart and Schlesselman with the plot, Cavanaugh said, adding authorities took the threats very seriously.

"They seemed determined to do it," Cavanaugh said. "Even if they were just to try it, it would be a trail of tears around the South."

http://www.cbc.ca/world/usvotes/story/2008/10/27/obama-plot.html