[StBernard] Student held after Sen. Clinton threatened

[Westley Annis]

Student held after Sen. Clinton threatened 
Classmate reported he was asked to be part of 'terrorist act'
The Associated Press
Updated: 5:49 p.m. CT May 4, 2007
BATON ROUGE, La. - A 19-year-old Louisiana State University student was
being held Friday on $1 million bond, accused of planning an attack against
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.

State District Judge Mike Erwin set bond after Richard Ryan Wargo of
Shreveport was booked with terrorizing, communicating false information of
planned arson and possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

Clinton, D-N.Y., a presidential candidate, is scheduled to be in Baton Rouge
on Saturday to speak at the National Conference of Black Mayors. Police said
it was unclear whether Wargo was planning to carry out the alleged attack at
that time.

Darrin Blackford, spokesman for the Secret Service, said the agency had no
comment on the alleged threat or on security at Clinton's planned appearance
in Baton Rouge on Saturday.

Clinton campaign spokesperson Mo Elleithee also had no comment.

LSU Police Chief Ricky Adams said Wargo, who is listed on LSU's Web site as
a physics major, asked another student if he wanted to join him in
committing arson, a "terrorist act" that he described as a "national event."

"He allegedly went on to say it was political and it involved Hillary
Clinton," Adams said.

The classmate later learned Clinton had scheduled a Baton Rouge appearance.
Police said the student reported Wargo to the university after a second
conversation, in which Wargo allegedly made a second remark indicating he
planned violence against Clinton.


'Have you ever heard of a dead president?'
That remark "was something along the lines of, 'Have you ever heard of a
dead president?'" Adams said. "That's language that should be of concern to
anyone. Thank goodness the classmate reported it."

Police arrested Wargo in a traffic stop Thursday night. "He cooperated and
did not resist," Adams said.


Officers searched Wargo's dormitory room and found documents that made the
classmate's accusations appear credible, Adams said. He declined to give
details, but said officers also seized Wargo's computer and marijuana and
drug paraphernalia.

A call to Wargo's family's home in Shreveport was not immediately returned.

U.S. Attorney David Dugas said the Secret Service is also investigating.

"If they believe a federal crime has been committed, they'll refer it to our
office and we'll consider it," Dugas said.


C 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be
published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Copyright 2007 The
Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18496484/


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