Nigerian held in act of terror on airliner

Baltimore Sun ^ | Sebastien Rotella

[myknowledge]

WASHINGTON — - In what was described as an act of terrorism, a Nigerian passenger attempted to ignite an incendiary device Friday aboard a Northwest Airlines flight from Amsterdam to Detroit as the plane began its approach for landing, federal officials said. The plane landed safely shortly before noon.

The suspected would-be bomber suffered burns as the result of his attempt, and two of the other 277 passengers reported minor injuries, authorities said. FBI agents were investigating the incident, which a White House official said was thought to be an attempted act of terrorism.

"He was trying to ignite some kind of incendiary device," said a federal anti-terrorism official, who requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the case. "He lit himself on fire, and he's suffered some burns."

[myknowledge]

Whoa. This has been the first time of an attempted midair flight bombing of an airliner since Richard Reid the Shoe Bomber back in '01, this time with a firecracker-like explosive.

[highlander_UW]

In what was described as an act of terrorism...

That's act of attempted man caused disaster in Obama speak. Make sure we use the official language, especially when it illustrates the idiocy that is Obama.

[Ancient Drive]

In what was described as an act of terrorism... described??? IT IS AN ACT OF TERRORISM!!!!!!!!

[narses]

Firecracker? I don't think so! Terrorist Attempt Update: Bomb Was Incendiary, Comprised of Mixed Liquids; Obama Only Notified Three Hours After Incident

More:

A Nigerian man, claiming to be linked to al-Qaeda, allegedly tried to set off an incendiary device aboard a transatlantic airplane Friday as it descended toward Detroit's airport in what the White House called an attempted act of terrorism.

The man was quickly subdued after another passenger leapt on top of him, others on the plane said, and Northwest Airlines Flight 253 from Amsterdam landed safely around 1 p.m. Friday. The suspect was being treated at a hospital for burns he suffered while igniting the device...

The suspect[,] Abdul Farouk Abdulmutallab[,] 23, attends University College London, where he studies engineering.

Although not on the TSA's "no-fly" list, Abdulmutallab's name appears to be included in the government's records of terrorism suspects, according to a preliminary review, authorities said.

Abdulmutallab has told federal investigators that he had ties to al-Qaeda and traveled to Yemen to collect the incendiary device and instructions on how to use it, according to a federal counterterrorism official briefed on the case. Authorities have yet to verify the claim, and they expect to conduct several more interviews before they determine whether he is credible, the official said.

Federal authorities have been told that Abdulmutallab allegedly had taped some material to his leg, then used a syringe to mix chemicals with the powder while on the airplane, one official said.

But doing so "caused him to catch on fire," Richelle Keepman, who sat a few rows in front of Abdulmutallab, told WDIV-TV.

...

Officials described the device as incendiary rather than explosive, pending tests by forensics experts at the FBI. Incendiary devices generally deliver less of an impact than explosive devices.

[Dallas59]

Whew! We almost had a “Man Caused Disaster” on our hands. If wasn’t for the quick thinking of Obammy...those people on that plane would have killed. Thanks Obammy for saving them.../s

[Dr. Ursus]

Why are U.S. carriers flying out of s-—holes like Lagos
Nigeria?

[Tom D.]

Is Nigeria much worse that Detroit?

[Tom D.]

Make that: “Is Nigeria much worse than Detroit?”

[stephenjohnbanker]

“Is Nigeria much worse that Detroit?”

Yes

[bert]

They are hard at work in Deetroit to bring the joys of Nigeria as soon as possible.

[myknowledge]

This flight originated from Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

This Nigerian went to Amsterdam from London to catch this U.S. bound flight.

[Eye of Unk]

I think it was a sports drink bottle filled with an oil like substance that would get past sniffers, like cooking or olive oil, the reported “syringe” could have been nothing more than a small turkey baster or a tube with a plunger, attached by a small diameter tubing the terrorist would inject water directly in contact to a powder or metal shavings of anything such as carbide, potassium, sodium or lithium. The resultant explosive hydrogen gasses and molten metals would be hard to put out with water, actually water is bad, in an enclosed space like an aircraft this is a deadly weapon.

I hope screeners at airports get a bit more intense on passengers bringing containers.

[Dr. Ursus]

Thanks,the early reports said the flight originated in
Lagos.The last time we went to Amsterdam there was double
screening on the return flight and upon entry were we asked our reason for visiting. We had to give our friends names
and addresses. We thought the security was quite good.

[myknowledge]

How’d you know this? A hunch, maybe? Expertise in explosive chemistry, perhaps?

[Eye of Unk]

It was on an episode of Mythbusters.

Otherwise I’m aware of the engineering needed to make a simple device as this, the problems of getting it past security is problematic, all one needs to do is to use normal acceptable items and convert them into a delivery device of inert disguisable components.

[Eye of Unk]

I think the next stage will be body implants, a female terrorist can have inserted into the breasts a bag with an explosive alkali metal suspended in oil, all that would be required to detonate it is a small catheter and plunger, again items that can be surgically hidden or disguised like an insulin pump.

[njslim]

So that would become instead of shoebomber the “Boob bomber”

I can see TSA starting a new screening procedure to check
breasts for bombs!

Sign me up for that job!

[Protect the Bill of Rights]

Obama was notified three hours after the incident? Three friggin hours?

Q: How many men does it take to make an incident worthy of Obama’s attention?

A: Sadly, we will not until after the fact...it we are alive.

[thepainster]

The terrorists will always come up with plans to get around the screening implemented. We will never be totally secure. However, we need to take a page from Israel security, who have been successfully fighting terrorism for years. We need to start PROFILING. This guy was already on some type of terrorist list but he was allowed to board a flight to America without any increased security screening. It’s time to forget political correctness when it comes to airline safety. But alas, we all know that will not happen.......

[Protect the Bill of Rights]

Should be “will not know”
(Hate it when that happens)