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22-03-09 Marine duo accused of threatening Obama

Less than three months into his term,President Barack Obama’s life allegedly has been threatened twice by people who swore an oath to obey his orders.Pfc. Nicholas Daniel Hanke and Kody Brittingham,a former lance corporal who was separated from the Corps in early January,both face criminal charges stemming from recent threats authorities said the men made against the commander-in-chief.Hanke,20,a student at Marine Corps Engineer School,Camp Lejeune,N.C., was arrested March 10 for allegedly shouting threats,including one against Obama,after boarding a plane at Wilmington International Airport in Wilmington, N.C., about 50 miles south of Lejeune.His arrest came two weeks after a federal grand jury indicted Brittingham for allegedly threatening Obama’s life.Two days after Brittingham’s Feb. 25 indictment,Obama visited the base,where he received a warm reception from about 2,000 Marines,sailors and Coast Guardsmen.If Hanke was at the school house that day,he was several miles from Goettge Field House,where the president announced his plan to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq by the end of 2011.On March 10,Hanke boarded a US Airways flight about 6 p.m. Before the plane’s aircrew had a chance to taxi on the runway,Hanke started shouting there was a bomb on the plane,Gary Broughton,the airport’s director of operations,told the Wilmington Star-News.Hanke allegedly pushed a flight attendant and the captain,and then ran from the plane.Airport security chased him down and,as they were cuffing him,authorities say Hanke head-butted an officer and shouted more threats,including some against Obama