Trio charged in planned attacks ahead of NATO summit

Three men accused of making Molotov cocktails had been planning to attack President Barack Obama's campaign headquarters, Mayor Rahm Emanuel's home, and other targets during this weekend's NATO summit, prosecutors said Saturday.

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Betterly appears to have a history of minor run-ins with law enforcement.

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He was cited for disorderly intoxication in February in Miami-Dade County, Florida, earlier this year , but the case has been dismissed, according to online court records.

Authorities in Oakland Park, Florida, said Betterly and two other young men walked into a public high school last fall after a night of tequila drinking and took a swim in the pool, according to a report in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

They allegedly stole fire extinguishers from three school buses, discharged one and smashed a cafeteria window with another. The vandalism caused about $2,000 in damage. Betterly was charged with burglary, theft and criminal mischief, the newspaper said.

Chase grew up in Keene, New Hampshire, and moved to Boston a few years ago before becoming active in the Occupy movement, said his aunt, Barbara Chase of Westmoreland, New Hampshire.

She said she was stunned to learn of the charges against her nephew.

"That surprised me because he's not that dumb, at least I wouldn't have thought so anyway," said Barbara Chase, a factory worker. "He always seemed harmless, but who knows? Outside influences sometimes can sway people to do things that they normally wouldn't do."

Security has been high throughout the city in preparation for the summit, where delegations from about 60 countries will discuss the war in Afghanistan and European missile defense.

Chicago was mostly quiet on Saturday. Downtown streets were largely empty, though that is not unusual for a weekend. Security guards stood watch outside many downtown buildings and in some places almost outnumbered pedestrians.

Among the pre-NATO protests planned for Saturday was a march on the home of Emanuel, who before being elected mayor was Obama's White House chief of staff.

As of midday, no protesters had arrived, but about two dozen police officers were waiting, including a group on bicycles that formed something of a fence outside the house.

The bigger show will be on Sunday, the start of the two-day NATO summit, when thousands of protesters are expected to march 2½ miles from a band shell on Lake Michigan to the McCormick Place convention center, where delegates will be meeting.

Associated Press writers Ryan Foley, Jason Keyser, Jim Suhr and Jeffrey McMurray contributed to this report.