A New York man sitting in a car that had a loaded rifle, machete and a container of gasoline was charged on Friday with threatening to kill George W. Bush after professing a romantic interest in the former president's oldest daughter, prosecutors said.

Benjamin Smith, 44, of Pittsford in upstate New York was arrested in Manhattan by the U.S. Secret Service, according to a criminal complaint filed in federal court.

"Bush will get his," Smith screamed as he was taken into custody, according to the complaint. Later, when asked about his marital status, he told agents he was divorced and "working on a relationship with Barbara Bush."

At a preliminary hearing, Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Griswold told U.S. Magistrate Judge Henry Pitman the government believes Smith was referring to the former president's daughter and not Bush's mother, who shares the same name.

It is a crime under federal law to threaten a current or former president.

On Thursday, the man's mother called police to report she had found a threatening note in the home she shares with her son and that a rifle was also missing, the complaint said.

"I'm going to work for George W. Bush and the Pentagon," the note said, according to the government. "I have to slay a dragon and then Barbara Bush is mine."

The Secret Service tracked him using his cell phone to Manhattan, where they arrested him early Friday morning. It was not clear why Smith went to New York City or where the former president and his family were at the time.

Smith's defense lawyer, Peggy Cross-Goldenberg, said the note and Smith's outbursts did not constitute a "true threat."

The judge also conceded it was "unclear" a jury would find Smith guilty.

"Admittedly, there is some inconsistency in the notion that the way to win Barbara Bush's affections is to kill her father," Pitman said.

【新聞快訊】

一名男子因癡迷于美國前總統小布什的女兒芭芭拉·布什(Barbara Bush)對小布什加以恐嚇、威脅，目前遭到警方指控和逮捕。

該男子名為本杰明·史密斯(Benjamin Smith)，他在車內放置了來福槍、彎刀和汽油，行至曼哈頓市中心并大喊：“布什會得到報應的”，隨后被警方逮捕。史密斯的母親承認，在其紐約州北部的家中找到了一張恐嚇信，信中寫道：“我將為布什工作并效命于五角大樓。我將成為屠龍勇士并抱得芭芭拉·布什歸來?！笔访芩乖诒粏柤盎橐鰻顩r時稱：“我離過婚，目前并沒有和任何人約會，但是我在努力追求芭芭拉·布什?！?/p>

對任何現任和前總統進行威脅都違反聯邦法律，但是1月31日出席初次聽證會上的一位法官表示，并不確定陪審團是否會認定史密斯有罪。美國地方法官亨利·皮特曼(Henry Pitman)表示：“坦白來講，為了贏得女兒的青睞而試圖殺害人父的，這在情理上有些說不通。”