Stormfront forum member Daniel Cowart pleaded guilty on March 29, 2010 “to eight counts in a federal indictment charging him with crimes related to a racially-motivated plot to murder dozens of people.” Daniel Cowart could get between 10 to 75 years in prison for this terrorist plot. According to the Associated Press, “Under a plea deal, lawyers on both sides agreed to recommend that Cowart serve between 12 and 18 years in prison. However, terms of the agreement allow U.S. Dist. Judge J. Daniel Breen to ignore the request and sentence Cowart to considerably more time. But if the judge ignores the recommendations, Cowart would have the option of withdrawing his plea.”
Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) has been reporting on this racist terrorist plot. The October 24, 2008 federal affidavit stated that Daniel Cowart and his co-conspirator Paul Schlesselman planned to kill 102 individuals and Barack Obama.
According to the October 24, 2008 federal affidavit in this case, “Each individual claims to have very strong beliefs and views regarding ‘White Power’ and ‘Skinhead’ views. The individuals began discussing going on a ‘killing spree’ that included killing 88 people and beheading 14 African Americans.” The number 88 is significant for Nazi white supremacists as representing the symbols HH, as H is the 8th letter of the alphabet. It is their code for “Heil Hitler.” The number 14 has a similar significance for two white supremacist 14-word slogans (ADL, additional reports).
The affidavit also states “while driving around Cowart and Schlesselman observed a church and decide to shoot a window out.” The affidavit identifies the target as the Beech Grove Church of Christ in Brownsville, Tennessee.
Daniel Cowart -Pleads Guilty to Racial Terrorist Plot
On March 29, 2010, the Department of Justice stated that:
“Daniel Cowart pleaded guilty today to eight counts in a federal indictment charging him with crimes related to a racially-motivated plot to murder dozens of people, the Justice Department announced.”
“Cowart pleaded guilty to threatening to kill and inflict bodily harm upon a major candidate for the office of President of the United States, conspiracy, interstate transportation of a short-barreled shotgun, interstate transportation of a firearm for the purpose of committing a felony, unlicensed transportation of an unauthorized short-barreled shotgun, possession of a short-barreled shotgun, intentional damage to religious real property, and discharge of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.”
“Cowart, 21, of Bells, Tenn., admitted to conspiring with Paul Schlesselman of West Helena, Ark., to engage in a killing spree specifically targeting African-Americans. He further acknowledged that he intended to culminate these attacks by assassinating President Obama, a U.S. Senator and a presidential candidate at the time of the planned attacks. Cowart also admitted to shooting the window of the Allen Baptist Church in Brownsville, Tenn. Under the plea agreement, Cowart faces a sentence of at least 10 years and could face up to 75 years in prison. ‘Despite great civil rights progress, this unthinkable conspiracy serves as a reminder that hate-fueled violence remains all too common in our country,’ said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division. ‘Tragedy was averted thanks to the capable work of the Crockett County Sheriff’s Department and their willingness to work with the ATF, the Secret Service and the FBI.’ ‘Crimes committed against individuals because of their race will not be tolerated,’ said Lawrence J. Laurenzi, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee. ‘I commend the work of the investigative agencies in thwarting what could have been a series of tragic events.'”
Daniel Cowart has been linked to the Nazi organization “Supreme White Alliance (SWA),” and has been photographed at an “Adolf Hitler Birthday Party” with SWA members, and has also been reported as a forum member of Stormfront.
Stormfront Forum Member Daniel Cowart with Swastika Tattoo and Rifle (Photo: Inquister)
In October 2008, CBS reported that “CBS News traced Cowart’s email and discovered that he is a forum member of the website StormFront.org, reportedly the nation’s largest website for white supremacists known as ‘white-power.'” Stormfront is identified as a “white nationalist hate group” by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC).
Stormfront forum member Daniel Cowart’s case is not the only instance of this groups’ supporters links to hate, threats, and violence. Other Stormfront forum members have been reported making threats against Barack Obama, murders of police officers, praising the efforts of U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum terrorist James Von Brunn and calling for similar acts, and praising the 9/11 attackers. Other Stormfront members have also praised the February 18, 2010 terrorist attack on the IRS building in Austin, Texas by Joseph Stack and called for additional attacks on Washington DC, banks, and the media, and other Stormfront members have praised John Patrick Bedell’s March 4, 2010 attack on the Pentagon.
In November 2009 and January 2010, Stormfront forum members posted articles on Daniel Cowart’s case as someone “in our ranks,” and were concerned about the legal outcome of his trial. One of the Stormfront forum members, Saxoness90, who lists her location as the Confederate States of America (“C.S.A.”), believed that Stormfront forum member Daniel Cowart was either “secretly prosecuted” or was “found innocent and equited [sic], and the media is all hushed up hoping no one will ever find out.” The Stormfront forum member goes on to praise Daniel Cowart’s attorney for allegedly objecting that their were not enough whites in the grand jury. (See screen shots of postings.) The Stormfront forum members go on to promote former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke and Confederate President Jefferson Davis.
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Update: The day after Stormfront forum member Daniel Cowart pleaded guilty to this racial terrorist plot, on the March 30, 2010 Stormfront co-leader Derek Black radio show on WPBR-AM, a caller came on the show to promote Holocaust Denial, and Derek Black promoted the “good calls” that he was getting. Stormfront leader Don Black used the radio show to also praise “race realism” and to condemn the “Jewish view of America.”
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Resources:
– October 24, 2008 – Federal Affadavit (PDF)