Newsweek: Fears for Obama Neo-Nazi threats as great a worry as Al Qaeda?

[RamboLiberal]

With the presidential election only days away, federal officials are looking closely for any uptick in threats to presidential candidates from white supremacist or other extremist groups. But in contrast to the pre-election atmosphere of four years ago, U.S. agencies have picked up little "chatter" about looming Islamic terror plots—and scant indications of any imminent pre-election messages from Al Qaeda leaders like Osama bin Laden.

Earlier this week, authorities announced they had busted up a far-fetched plot directed at Democratic candidate Barack Obama by two young "skinhead" racists in Tennessee. That case, along with a similar extremist plot broken up before the Democratic Party convention in Denver and the recent arrest of a neo-Nazi leader in Virginia, have pointed up the extent to which the government is paying attention to the threat to Obama from far-right extremist factions. "I don't know that we're seeing a resurgence of these groups," Michael Ward, deputy assistant FBI director for counterterrorism, told NEWSWEEK. "But we are seeing an increase in rhetoric."

Ward says the increasing anger of white supremacists has manifested itself in Internet postings and threats reported to law-enforcement agencies. What worries the FBI most, he says, are "lone wolves" who might be seething with anger and armed to the teeth but who do not show up on any government radar screens.

Since last February, a presidential-campaign-threat task force created by the FBI and Secret Service has conducted more than 650 "threat assessments" to evaluate reports that could involve threats to presidential or vice presidential contenders or any others connected to the election. About 100 of those threats have been assessed to be "racially motivated" and are thought to be directed at Obama. Another 100 of the reports received since last winter are deemed to be "political" and come from across the ideological spectrum. They include pro-gun groups and anti-abortion extremists. Other categories used by the task force to track threats don't breakdown along ideological or political lines.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/166317

Pisses me off how McCain and especially Palin are helping to fan the flaming hatred of these domestic terrorists and giving them justification in their sick heads!

[47of74]

1. Gee, I wonder why?

Mainly because that horse's ass of a Republican Presidential Candidate John McCain and his trophy VP Sarah Palin have spent the past month encouraging this sort of behavior at their rallies and are doing next to nothing to stop it.

[my2sense]

2. This is what McRacist and his Pit Bulldog were hoping for n/t

[shadowknows69]

8. Well then they're idiots of the highest order

Because if something, Gods forbid, did happen to Obama, Joe Biden would still wipe the floor with them and then they'd have no race card to play.

[ShortnFiery]

10. Sister Sarah is now calling Obama/Biden "the far left wing of the democrat party."

What a HATE-SPEWING piece of work Palin is. :thumbsdown:

[shadowknows69]

11. fuck, don't I wish!

But, I'll take them anyway B-)

[wildbilln864]

3. But al CIAduh isn't really much of a threat, so? nt

[AntiFascist]

4. And we're not supposed to call Palin or McCain Nazis?

What else do you call the ones who are stirring up a neo-Nazi following?

[SIMPLYB1980]

5. I know. People tell me I shouldn't call republicans Nazis,

but that's what they are. If they are calling us Marxists, et. al. I think it is quite fitting to call them on what they are.

[AntiFascist]

6. Even more dangerous are the white supremists....

which seems to be Palin's base.

[SIMPLYB1980]

7. No doubt about that. The thing is most white supremists are closet Nazis as well.

[ShortnFiery]

9. That's so bullshit! Not the FACT but that they would fear-monger by publishing this

so close to the Presidential Election.

Our FBI/SS work best behind the scenes. Publishing this NOW is used solely for fear-mongering purposes.

Missing Accomplished MFs. :thumbsdown:

[TahitiNut]

12. The last time I saw Obama in the rope line, I counted seven Secret Service agents.

Seven. For months, I saw five agents around him. No telling how many others were in the crowds. Yesterday, at the Florida rally, it was seven of them within about 4-5' of him. Three ahead, three following, one at his back. Deadly serious looks on their faces. (I'm thinking of them as "grim angels.")