Man sought by Secret Service caught with 16 guns

An American who police said may have made threats against President George Bush has been arrested about two miles from the White House after officers found 16 guns in his car.

The Secret Service said it had received information that a man was driving from Pennsylvania to the White House with explosives.

Jeffrey Cloutier, 33, of Newport, New Hampshire, was stopped by police yesterday while driving a white Chevrolet.

Authorities found 10 rifles and six handguns in the car, but no explosives.

The Secret Service would not say whether Cloutier had threatened the president, but a New Hampshire law enforcement source said Cloutier had talked of harming Bush.

“He said President Bush was doing a poor job, and he was going to take care of him and take over,” said the source.

Cloutier’s grandmother said her grandson had been having problems recently and had sought treatment for epilepsy.

“He needs help and he needs it bad,” Marjorie Cloutier said. “I think he was trying to get help and he wasn’t getting it.”

Cloutier was held for investigation of possessing unregistered firearms and ammunition. Cloutier’s wife was also taken into custody, but a Secret Service source said she was unlikely to face any charges.