Man Threatens Decapitation of US Official

Letter signed in blood sent to congressman

RICHMOND, Va. -- A Richmond man sent a bloody letter to a congressman, threatening to cut off the head of a U.S. official in Vietnam, federal authorities said.
 
Phuong Nguyen Le has been charged with threatening a U.S. official. Le, who works for the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority, was arrested Wednesday.
 
The bloodstained letter was sent to the office of U.S. Rep. Bobby Scott, D-2nd, in Richmond, according to an affidavit filed by an FBI agent. The letter threatened U.S. Consular Chief Charles Bennett, in Ho Chi Minh City, with decapitation.
 
Le apparently was angry about the rejection of a visa application for his wife, who is in Vietnam, according to the affidavit.
 
Also, according to the affidavit, "The letter referenced killing people and the mass shooting that impacted Virginia Tech in April 2007."
 
An intern in Scott's office noticed the bloodstained letter, according to the affidavit. Another employee, wearing rubber gloves, opened it and read it aloud. The letter included Le's name and return address.
 
Brozick wrote that he interviewed Le, who admitted writing and sending the letter to Scott's office. He reported that Le said he bit his left thumb and signed the letter in blood.

It was unclear whether Le has hired an attorney, and the federal prosecutor's office did not immediately return a message seeking additional comment Friday

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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