Former U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney has revealed he had the wireless function on an electronic heart implant disabled, due to fears terrorists could use it to trigger a massive electric in an attempt to assassinate him.
Cheney made the revelations in an interview with CBS 's"60 Minutes."
"I found it credible," Cheney told "60 Minutes" in a segment to be aired Sunday.
"I know from the experience we had, and the necessity for adjusting my own device, that it was an accurate portrayal of what was possible."
The former VP suffers from chronic heart problems, and has endured five heart attacks before undergoing a heart transplant last year at the age of 71.
Cheney's doctor, cardiologist Jonathan Reiner, confirmed he switched off the implant's wireless function - but said that assassination was not his only concern.
Reiner told CBS he had also feared Cheney could suffer from a serious heart attack as a result of the stress and shock of the September 11 attacks on the U.S.
After watching events unfold on T.V., Reiner remembers thinking: "Oh, great, the vice president is going to die tonight from hyperkalemia."