DENVER // The FBI is investigating reports that a man arrested with rifles, ammunition and drugs in his lorry may have made threats against Barack Obama, officials said.
Two other men were also arrested.
Barack Obama will be in Denver later this week to accept the Democratic nomination for president.
Kathy Wright, from the FBI, confirmed the reports were being investigated but would not give further details.
"It's premature to say that it was a valid threat or that these folks have the ability to carry it out," said a US government official.
Tharin Gartrell, 28, was arrested during a routine traffic check on Sunday by police in the eastern Denver suburb of Aurora. Officers found two rifles, including one with a scope; a bulletproof vest; boxes of ammunition; walkie-talkies; and suspected narcotics in the truck, said detective Marcus Dudley.
Police alerted federal authorities, who then arrested Nathan Johnson, 32, at a hotel in Denver. A third man, Shawn Robert Adolf, 33, was arrested at another hotel.
Mr Adolf allegedly tried to escape by jumping from a sixth-floor window. He was taken to hospital and was being held on US$1 million bond (more than Dh3,673,000) on several outstanding warrants involving drug charges. Mr Johnson was also being held on drug charges. His bond was unknown.
Mr Dudley did not say how the men were connected, but said more arrests were possible. One of the rifles was stolen and authorities had traced it to Kansas, Mr Dudley said.
Aurora police alerted federal officials because of heightened security surrounding the Democratic convention.
"Clearly we found there are federal implications - otherwise we would not have notified them," Mr Dudley said. "The weapons clearly would cause great concern."
Troy Eid, a US attorney, said: "We're absolutely confident there is no credible threat to the candidate, the Democratic National Convention, or the people of Colorado."
"It could also turn out that these were nothing but a bunch of knuckleheads, meth-heads," the US government official said.
A news conference on the matter is scheduled for this afternoon.
* AP
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Sheikh Zayed's poem
When it is unveiled at Abu Dhabi Art, the Standing Tall exhibition will appear as an interplay of poetry and art. The 100 scarves are 100 fragments surrounding five, figurative, female sculptures, and both sculptures and scarves are hand-embroidered by a group of refugee women artisans, who used the Palestinian cross-stitch embroidery art of tatreez. Fragments of Sheikh Zayed’s poem Your Love is Ruling My Heart, written in Arabic as a love poem to his nation, are embroidered onto both the sculptures and the scarves. Here is the English translation.
Your love is ruling over my heart
Your love is ruling over my heart, even a mountain can’t bear all of it
Woe for my heart of such a love, if it befell it and made it its home
You came on me like a gleaming sun, you are the cure for my soul of its sickness
Be lenient on me, oh tender one, and have mercy on who because of you is in ruins
You are like the Ajeed Al-reem [leader of the gazelle herd] for my country, the source of all of its knowledge
You waddle even when you stand still, with feet white like the blooming of the dates of the palm
Oh, who wishes to deprive me of sleep, the night has ended and I still have not seen you
You are the cure for my sickness and my support, you dried my throat up let me go and damp it
Help me, oh children of mine, for in his love my life will pass me by.
Who is Ramon Tribulietx?
Born in Spain, Tribulietx took sole charge of Auckland in 2010 and has gone on to lead the club to 14 trophies, including seven successive Oceania Champions League crowns. Has been tipped for the vacant New Zealand national team job following Anthony Hudson's resignation last month. Had previously been considered for the role.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Neil Thomson – THE BIO
Family: I am happily married to my wife Liz and we have two children together.
Favourite music: Rock music. I started at a young age due to my father’s influence. He played in an Indian rock band The Flintstones who were once asked by Apple Records to fly over to England to perform there.
Favourite book: I constantly find myself reading The Bible.
Favourite film: The Greatest Showman.
Favourite holiday destination: I love visiting Melbourne as I have family there and it’s a wonderful place. New York at Christmas is also magical.
Favourite food: I went to boarding school so I like any cuisine really.
