Possible plot on Obama?

Denver authorities said last night that a number of arrests had been made of individuals in connection with firearms offences in the city which is hosting the Democratic National Convention.

However they refused to immediately confirm local media reports that linked the arrests to a possible attempt on the life of the Barack Obama who is due to make his key address to the conference on Thursday.

Local TV station KCNC-TV reported that four people had been picked up by police following a traffic stop in the Denver suburb of Aurora. That arrest, which took place on Sunday morning, saw a 28-year-old man taken into custody after he was spotted driving erratically in a rented pickup truck.

The TV station, quoting police sources, said that two high-powered rifles with scopes, walkie talkies, camouflage clothing, driving licences and the drug methamphetamine were found in the truck. Police then traced him back to a local hotel, The Cherry Tree, which led to further arrests, including a man injured while jumping out of a window in order to evade arrest. The wounded man was believed to have ties to white supremacist organisations and was wearing a ring with a swastika, the station said. KCNC-TV said that the men had told police that they intended to kill Obama.

The Denver Post newspaper said that only two men had been arrested, but reported that a news conference was being scheduled for tomorrow afternoon to discuss the case. It reported that authorities were more sceptical of any organised plot to kill Obama.

US officials also told the Associated Press that it was too premature to say if there was any direct threat to Obama. 'It's premature to say that it was a valid threat or that these folks have the ability to carry it out,' an unnamed US government official told the Associated Press. 'It could also turn out that these were nothing but a bunch of knuckleheads, meth heads,' the official added.

Obama, who is seeking to become America's first black president, has been the subject of intense security, unusual even for a presidential candidate. Though specifics have been rare, the Secret Service has been monitoring the activities of white supremacist groups especially on the internet.