Officials: Failed Plane Attack Was Attempted Terrorism With Possible Al Qaeda Connection
Dec 25th, 2009 | 20 responses
Federal officials are now saying that a failed attempt by a Nigerian national to light an incendiary device on a Northwest Airlines flight was an attempted terrorist act — with possible Al Qaeda connections. New details are emerging in a story where when passengers realized the passenger was up to no good, they tackled him.
A Nigerian national, claiming to be acting on behalf of al-Qaeda, is in custody in Detroit after allegedly attempting to light an incendiary device aboard a Northwest Airlines flight after it landed Friday, federal officials said.
A White House official said the incident was an attempted act of terrorism. The FBI is investigating and President Obama, celebrating Christmas in Hawaii, was told of the incident about three hours after the plane landed, officials said.
Obama has told White House officials that all appropriate measures be taken to increase security for air travel, a spokesman said. Nevertheless, officials said, they are not prepared to raise the terrorism alert level, currently at orange — or the second-highest of five levels — for domestic and international air travel.
Federal officials said that the suspect said he was acting on behalf of al-Qaeda. However, the officials added that they are regarding that claim with great caution and will be investigating the claim thoroughly.
The flight: Northwest Airlines Flight 253. The number of passengers: 278 passengers from Amsterdam. The injuries: only minor injuries.
This AP video report posted on You Tube (with embed codes so that websites can repost it) quotes counterterrorism sources as saying the passenger tried to “blow up” the plane but the device failed:
According to the Detroit Free Press, a Michigan man who was passenger reports he there was a pop, smoke and fire:
A Michigan man who witnessed the attempted destruction of a Northwest Airlines flight to Metro Airport said he’s proud of how passengers reacted.
Syed Jafry of Holland, Mich., a U.S. citizen who had flown from the United Arab Emirates, said after emerging from the airport that people ran out of their seats to tackle the man.
Jafry was sitting in the 16th row — three rows behind the passenger — when he heard “a pop and saw some smoke and fire.” Then, he said, “a young man behind me jumped on him.”
Jafry said there was a little bit of commotion for about 10 to 15 minutes. The incident occurred during the plane’s descent, he said.
He said the way passengers responded made him proud to be an American.
But passenger Richard Griffith of Pontiac said he was unaware of the incident until departing the plane.
He said he was sitting in the back of the plane and did not “see or hear anything.”
His wife and daughter, who had been waiting for him at the airport since about 11:40 a.m., said they saw a person they believe to be the suspect being transported from the airport. Dawn Griffith said he was “young looking” and was handcuffed to a stretcher, with his hands bandaged.
CNN and some other news outlets originally reported that the passenger tried to light some “firecrackers,” but newer stories are headlining, federal officials’ comments about it being an failed terrorist attack:
Here’s another CNN report:
UPDATE: More and more reports now come out make it clear that this was no “firecracker.” The Wall Street Journal:
A passenger on a Detroit-bound Northwest Airlines flight tried to detonate an explosive device that was strapped to his leg and later told investigators that he was trying to blow up the plane and had affiliations with al Qaeda, according to a senior U.S. official. The passenger was identified by authorities as Abdul Mudallad, a 23-year-old Nigerian national, according to Rep. Peter King, a New York Republican who is the ranking member of the House Homeland Security Committee. The device was technologically advanced and potentially devastating, Mr. King said. “This was not a firecracker,” he said. Mr. King said the suspect’s name did not appear on any of the terrorist watch lists maintained by U.S. authorities, but that the Nigerian national did turn up “hot” in other terrorism-related databases maintained by intelligence officials.
Mr. Mudallad suffered 3rd-degree burns when the device detonated on approach to Detroit, according to Mr. King. He said none of the other passengers was seriously injured. The man told investigators that he was given the device by al Qaeda operatives in Yemen, where he was also given instructions on how to detonate it, the U.S. official said.
“This guy claims he is tied to al Qaeda, spefically in Yemen,” the official said. “He claims he was on orders from al Qaeda in Yemen.”
Bill Burton, a White House spokesman, said President Barack Obama, who is vacationing in Hawaii, was notified of the incident after 9 a.m. local time and held two secure conference calls with his national security team to discuss the incident, but that his schedule had not changed.
MSNBC’s report raises the question whether this is an isolated incident or part of a larger attack — and reports that Obama has ordered officials to link airline security…and that passengers will note it. The suspect was on a national terrorism watch list, although not at the top part of the list:
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NBC’s Chuck Todd reports from Hawaii on Obama’s response:
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20 Responses to “Officials: Failed Plane Attack Was Attempted Terrorism With Possible Al Qaeda Connection”
well i guess we should expect more of this. now that the world loves us and all, with our dear leader, malignant narcissist in chief. only 3 more years of increasing terror. then the grown-ups will be called in the clean it all up. good luck to all you folks out there. what are the odds ya know? they're getting worse of course, but hey, we rolled the dice last year on BHO. we are coming up snake eyes. lets hope only a few of us have to pay the price. i sure hope the terorist dude gets a fair trial. that aughta show 'em. just we like our new DHS probably showed 'em how to get the material on the plane by publishing the TSA manual. amateurism has its price. god help us.
“we rolled the dice last year on BHO.”
What are you TALKING about? Do you think the Red Brigade gave up because of a change in political parties? That the IRA (not not the one at the bank) quit because the UK changed PM's? Do you know anything about terrorism at all? Do get all your knowledge by looking at the world through the telescope backwards?
DHS was created by a republican. The mother of all amateurs.
This comment is a textbook example of irrationality.
The fact that this terrorist was able to smuggle an explosive on board and light it, even though it failed, is very good intelligence for al-Qaeda to have. They now have successfully tested the weak spots in international airline security and can smuggle on board similar devices which probably won't fail.
From what I understand the terrorist boarded in Nigeria. I'd like to know if the terrorist had to pass through security in Amsterdam, or if he was able to stay within the secure area to catch his connecting flight. The security in Amsterdam is probably as good as it gets, but I worry most about airport security in second and third world countries, those being weak links in international security.
Your ODS is a frickin joke…
Why is Rep. King even quoted in the WSJ article. The Freep didn't go with this nutcase, and didn't include the other BS…
Ohio isn't Michigan – Go Wolverines…
Until we bring Cheneyco to justice, these things will keep happening.
flag – we rolled the dice. meaning we decided collectively to return to a strategy of GWOT that was law enforcement-based. 1990's style. is that clearer now? understanding af-pak is a distinct and separate issue however, in the parger gwot. though if you talk to those that are there re: the ROE that may be starting to converge also. capice?
father time – DHS was actually at its root, created by democrats guy. their “idea” anyway; they claimed it at the time. see:
http://archives.cnn.com/2002/ALLPOLITICS/06/08/…
important take-away: “Gephardt said he was “heartened” by the president's plan, which he said is similar to proposals he and others have made since last fall.” he and other democrats created the brain child and bush was dragged kicking and screaming into its creation. now that could of course have been geppy just trying to take credit if you beleive this:
http://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/brief_docume…
and of course the senate vote i beleive was 90-9. so most dems of course agreed with it when it was created so bipartisan would apply i think.
http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call…
so if GWB was an amatuer, and convinced all those dem geniuses to create it, who would actually be dumber? the geniuses that let an amateur idiot drag them around by the nose? or the amateur idiot. interesting paradox huh? comments please. thanks.
vey9 – i dont know anything. and you know a lot more than i. are you happy now? peace brother. i was being partially tongue in cheek ok? highlighting the absurd with absurdity. BHOs approaches to fiscal matters and nat sec matters deserve absurdity doncha think?
What it shows, all it really shows, is that the War against the West had and still has nothing to do with GWB vs. Obama, or any such stuff.
It is a deeper, longer term effort with much larger goals.
Those in Al Qaeda and other militant Islamic groups want nothing less than a overthrow of ALL Western ideas, indeed all ideals and political systems that are not Islamic/Sharia. The return of the Caliphate.
That is not paranoid ramblings, either; it is their clearly and often stated goal. They make no secret of it. And those that thought getting rid of GWB would suddenly get rid of, or ever reduce, this problem simply were living a fantasy.
World-wide, coordinated radical Islamic violence preceded GWB by generations, and will not be stopped anytime soon, as we (the world as a whole) simply do not have the moral fortitude to confront such problems.
What (almost) happened yesterday was probably caused by a terrible lapse in security.
But for the Obama haters to jump almost gleefully on what could have a horrible disaster and to try to make political hay out of it, without knowing any details whatsoever, is, well, as expected. 'Nough said.
I suppose the neocon response to this attack would be to reprise the success of the previous administration and invade Nigeria, rather than rely on wimpy law enforcement techniques.
I'm sorry, I forgot. The preferred strategy is to invade a neighboring country that had nothing to do with the attack but has large natural resource reserves.
Why don't one of the critics of the law enforcement technique and supporters of the Iraq technique jump in here and explain who we now should invade or at the very least bomb?
Come on folks, there is never an end of people here who defend the invasion of Iraq. “At least he kept us safe for (almost) all of his administration” springs to mind. Here is your chance to put your gut back into action and articulate the true faith based policy. Or do we have to wait for a Chaney?
AR, Happy holidays and I agree with you wholeheartedly that terrorists don't care what political party is in power in the US; their goal is to destroy us.
I hope all is well with you and your family, including the pets!
Thanks SB!
All is well here, including the pets, and there is an addition to the extended pet family. My in-laws (they live about 3 miles from us) have added a 4 month-old standard poodle to the overall collection.
I hope all is equally well for you and yours, and that you had a fantastic holiday season so far.
The same wishes go out to all here who have treated me with respect and dignity, even when our ideals and politics do not align.
The ticket taker said “you can't board without a passport”.
AR, thanks! All is fine here. I'm in Birmingham with my Mom. I'm back in SF on Dec. 30 for one day before moving to LA with my cats…. I'll have to come up with a nifty new screen name. Maybe just LABlond!
Nice trap. Good cheese.