Posted on 12/28/2009 9:42:44 AM PST by IrishMike
The US homeland security secretary has demanded to know how the Nigerian man accused of trying to blow up a jet had a visa despite being on a watch list.
"We all want to know the answer to that question," Janet Napolitano said.
She also appeared to backtrack on a widely criticised assertion that the aviation security system had worked.
Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab was arrested after he allegedly tried to set off an explosive device on board a Northwest Airlines flight to Detroit on Friday.
A hearing before a federal judge in the city scheduled for Monday, at which prosecutors were to seek permission to obtain a DNA sample from Mr Abdulmutallab, has been cancelled. No reason was given.
The 23-year-old was earlier moved from a hospital, where he was being treated for burns, to a federal prison.
Mr Abdulmutallab's family has described his recent behaviour as completely out of character. They said he had never caused them concern until he stopped communicating with them earlier this year.
'Extensive review'
His father, a prominent Nigerian banker and former government official, warned the US embassy in Abuja in October that his son had developed radical views and might have travelled to Yemen. But officials did not revoke his two-year multiple-entry visa, which was issued in June 2008.
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Ms Napolitano meanwhile said the aviation security system had worked "very, very smoothly over the course of the past several days", prompting widespread criticism from members of Congress and counter-terrorism experts.
But in interviews with US media on Monday, the homeland security secretary said her comment had been taken out of context and that she had instead been referring to the system of notifying other flights as well as law enforcement on the ground about the incident.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.bbc.co.uk ...
An terrorist supporting president plus an idiot in charge of HLS equals death to America.
Well he was not a tea party protester, or a known pro life protester... why wouldn’t he be given a visa?
This woman is a complete incompetent, but then what else would I expect from this administration. With these people in charge, we are in serious danger.
Later today, I will perform an exercise in futility and write to Senator Dick “Gulag” Turban and Senator “Rolly the Boo” Burris and demand the resignation/firing of Janet “Clueless” Napalitano. Who needs the “Gorelick Brick Wall” when you have Janet at the helm whose cluelessness accomplishes the same thing?
That would have been the end of it. The media sycophants would have lauded his differing style from (what they presumed to be) Bush's style. Obama would have been hailed as a "great leader". Now, he just looks disinterested and unaffected equaling poor crisis-management on his part and creating an unforced error - very much like the Harvard PD fiasco over the summer.
Open borders have consequences.
The anarchists who riot at the WTO summits are also granted travel visas.
Even the president was not notified for 3 hours.
Massive illegal alien amnesty!
Also while he’s working on his tan lines
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43 U.S. Troops Have Died in Afghanistan Since Gen. McChrystal Called for Reinforcement
After 92 days of waiting for the Word from on high, the nation received its marching orders from our commander-in-chief and it was a flop of major proportions. As his West Point audience looked on disdainfully applauding only twice, and then tepidly President Obama tried to make the case that his escalation of the war in Afghanistan and Pakistan is really just a prelude to withdrawal.
This entire administration is s2orn anti-American. Will Americans take their orders from Communists who have taken over in Washington D.C.? THAT is the question.
A Muslim extremist wet dream.
Wake up Obama. We have enemies and they smell weakness. We all smell weakness.
This guy's Father warned the US about him, but our Homeland Security did NOTHING!
Napolitano has demonstrated gross negligence and incompetence bordering on TREASON - and the buck stops with Hussein 0bama!
An incompetent pig in charge of “security” and a commie Muslim playing basketball during terror attacks...
What the People need to do is [DELETED].
Profile already. This is beyond idiocy...
I thought the guy didn’t have/didn’t show a passport? How can you have a visa without a passport?
He asked not to be bothered, don’tcha know? He was GOLFING! He’s on vacation!
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