Obama and Clinton in the sights of ex-soldier

Manila News.Net
Wednesday 8th September, 2010

An ex-soldier turned gunman has been accused of trying to kill the US president.

Robert Quinones, who was arrested in a hostage standoff last week, had just completed two tours of duty in Iraq when he decided to hold hostages in a two-hour siege at Winn Community Hospital on Fort Stewart, about 45 miles from Savannah, Georgia.

Officials said he made demands for health care before he took the hostages, only releasing them after eventually surrendering to armed police.

He was then taken into custody where he allegedly expressed his plans and intentions to kill President Obama and former President Clinton.

Quinones has been charged with assault of a federal officer and kidnapping in the incident.

A search of his residence later resulted in the discovery of large caches of weapons, including 11 rifles, four pistols, multiple rounds of ammunition and dozens of bayonets and knives.

According to police, when Quinones was asked if he would kill Obama or Clinton if given a chance, he said yes.

Quinones had been discharged from the military in February and had been given a civilian job at Fort Stewart.

He had been medically discharged from the Army after a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder.

The US army has been widely criticised in the US media for its failure to properly diagnose and treat PTSD, a common result of tours of duty.

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