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.

【新闻快讯】

一名男子因痴迷于美国前总统小布什的女儿芭芭拉·布什(Barbara Bush)对小布什加以恐吓、威胁，目前遭到警方指控和逮捕。

该男子名为本杰明·史密斯(Benjamin Smith)，他在车内放置了来福枪、弯刀和汽油，行至曼哈顿市中心并大喊：“布什会得到报应的”，随后被警方逮捕。史密斯的母亲承认，在其纽约州北部的家中找到了一张恐吓信，信中写道：“我将为布什工作并效命于五角大楼。我将成为屠龙勇士并抱得芭芭拉·布什归来。”史密斯在被问及婚姻状况时称：“我离过婚，目前并没有和任何人约会，但是我在努力追求芭芭拉·布什。”

对任何现任和前总统进行威胁都违反联邦法律，但是1月31日出席初次听证会上的一位法官表示，并不确定陪审团是否会认定史密斯有罪。美国地方法官亨利·皮特曼(Henry Pitman)表示：“坦白来讲，为了赢得女儿的青睐而试图杀害人父的，这在情理上有些说不通。”