Pointed warning for Obama security team

Published on Thursday 10 July 2008 22:37

YESTERDAY I did something few people will – I stood a few feet from Barack Obama while in possession of a knife.

The knife in question was the sgian dubh in my sock as I wore the kilt at a breakfast fundraiser in the New York Hilton Hotel.

Despite his "watertight" security, I brought the knife through police, security guards, bodyguards and metal detectors to stand by the candidate's side.

At the security barrier I was asked if I had a mobile phone, which I produced. No-one noticed the sgian dubh, which I wore in plain sight.

From there I was sent through a door-framed metal detector. No ping.

Then a female uniformed security staffer told me to stop, raise my hands and turn around as she scanned me with a hand- held metal detector.

When Mr Obama was finished speaking I crowded to a rope line as he signed autographs for admirers.

Running through my mind was the thought that any crazy could have been in my place, with the knife, ready to make his place in history.