Timeline of Terror: Clues in Bomber Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab's Past

ABC News ^ | Dec. 30, 2009 | By RUSSELL GOLDMAN and HUMA KHAN

[DBCJR]

In hindsight, there were clues that alleged would-be "underwear bomber" Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab had become a dangerous person, and President Obama has said that it was "unacceptable" that those clues weren't spotted and acted upon. timeline

During Abdulmutallab's transformation from the privileged son of a wealthy Nigerian banker to an al Qaeda trainee being taught to kill, he left a series of red flags. Now American and international law enforcement officials are trying to determine how Abdulmutallab was able to come so close to causing more terror in the skies.

Here is a look at the trail of clues Abdulmutallab left behind:

[see article]

[DBCJR]

OMG!!! The word "terror" is being used again. Even Obama slipped and said it!

[DBCJR]

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/30/us/politics/30obama.html

[Sacajaweau]

Another case of PC....just like Ft. Hood.

[jwparkerjr]

Forget everything that happened before Christmas Day. When he showed up with a ticket paid for with cash, no checked luggage and having to have someone talk him aboard the flight because he didn’t have his passport they knew all they needed to know in order to give him a very thorough search.

[Grampa Dave]

[InterceptPoint]

and having to have someone talk him aboard the flight because he didn’t have his passport...

I would be careful with that one. It is a key element of this story but it is in dispute. Most news stories are now reporting that he did have a passport. I don't know the truth but this aspect of the episode will be difficult to hide even for Obama. Personally I'm waiting for something more definitive on the passport story than we have received so far. Something smells for sure when you get this many versions of what actually happened but I'm trying to keep an open mind. Time will tell. Hopefully.

[jwparkerjr]

My take is that he has a passport but didn't show it to board the aircraft. The American couple has stood by their story, unchanged, since the earliest report of the incident. I know the passport aspect is still in question, but until it's proven one way or another it would be on the list. Even taking that one away, he gave more than enough signals to warrant being very carefully screened.

Last I heard Dutch officials were ‘reviewing’ the tape of his check-in encounter. There have been so many different stories of whether or not he was re-screened in Amsterdam, etc.

As you say, we'll just have to wait and see what shakes out.