The visa was issued before Mutallab's father went to our Embassy in Nigeria. He wasn't on any watch list at that time. According to the State department Embassy Abuja sent the cable to Washington DC where the info went to the National Counterterrorism Center on November 20 where decision was made that info is not sufficient to revoke the visa. Also the spokesman for the State Department Ian Kelly confirmed Mutallab Jr traveled to the USA before on a visa he had before the London 2008 one.
The National Counterterrorism Center is a joint agency operation. It is not the State Department's fault that the visa was not revoked.
<<< ...the info went to the National Counterterrorism Center on November 20 where decision was made that info is not sufficient to revoke the visa.
The National Counterterrorism Center is a joint agency operation. It is not the State Department’s fault that the visa was not revoked. >>>
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It is however, somebody’s fault if an entity exists known as The National Counterterrorism Center, and the visa was not flagged or revoked by some authority in that “Center”.
Could it be that “joint agencies” just make failure to make decisions an operational option?
As altura said upthread, the 7-11 store knows immediately if Bank of America is happy with her account when she passes over her credit card.
So who was the individual in the counter terrorism center who made that decision. I am not saying we need to blame this dept or that agency. I want individuals to be named, and if negligent, fired.