US begins probe into threat to Michelle's life

The US Secret Service said it was investigating a police officer in Washington after he allegedly made a death threat to First Lady Michelle Obama.

"We're aware of the incident, and we're going to take appropriate investigative steps," spokesman Edwin Donovan told AFP after The Washington Post newspaper first reported the incident.

According to the newspaper, the policeman, who worked as a motorcycle escort for official motorcades in the US capital, was overheard on Wednesday declaring that he would shoot Obama, and showed an image on his cell phone of the weapon he said he intended to use.

The paper says Washington police moved the officer to administrative duty and reported the incident to the Secret Service, which is charged with protecting the US president and his family.

"We received an allegation that inappropriate comments were made. We are currently investigating the nature of those comments," police spokeswoman Gwendolyn Crump told The Washington Post, without providing any further details. The first lady's office did not immediately comment on the report.