Saturday, December 26, 2009

Would-be Nigerian Bomber Known as a Threat for Two Years

by Maggie at Maggie's Notebook


The Christmas Day Nigerian bomber's failed attack on Northwest's Flight 253 makes us thankful that the plot was foiled by alert passengers, but shows that security in the U.S. is also a failure at critical times. Abdul Mudallad was known to be a threat, with possible al-Qaeda ties, for at least two years, was on a federal "watch list" but not on the "no-fly list." Would anything have made a difference? Mudallad boarded the flight in Amsterdam with explosives strapped to his leg.

I can't get through airport security if my jewelry is in my purse wrapped in a dark velvet bag. How was this man allowed to board, and what is going on in the city of Amsterdam - a city with at least a population of 13% Muslims and the home to one of the most radical mosques in the country, Tawheed mosque, in the the Old-West section of the city?

In 2006, the Netherlands' Minister of Justice suggested that Islamic Shari'a law be constitutionally adopted in the country, and a poll in the same year found that 68% of the citizens felt threatened by "immigrant or Muslim young people." Almost as many feared a terrorist attack by Muslims and a very astute 47% believed that if some action was not taken, they would eventually have to live according to Islamic rule in the Netherlands. Obviously the Justice Minister's idea of a good proposal for life in the Netherlands was shouted down.

After the 2004 murder of Theo van Gogh the country conducted an inquiry into the radicalization of young Muslims. The usual findings surfaced: a feeling of alienation, disconnectedness with their first-generation immigrant parents and no shared feeling of patriotism for their own country was prevalent. Obviously, immigrant parents do a miserable job of helping their child integrate, and feel gratitude for the liberty their friends and relatives are denied in Islamic lands, and in many cases, we have seen parents who push their children into jihadist fervor - I'm just guessing, but probably to alleviate their own guilt for living among the democratic. Having said that, there are rumors that Mutallad's father's report him to U.S. authorities six months ago!!! More on that as available.

Had the bomber been successful in blowing the plane in it's descent, imagine the catastrophe. While the loss of 298 passengers would have been horrific, think of the catapulting, flame engulfed monstrosity barreling into the Detroit airport, or into nearby neighborhoods or both. If, within a city like Amsterdam, we cannot be assured that explosives will not be strapped to the leg of any traveler, what are we to do? This man, Abdul Mudallad, was granted a U.S. visa in June 2008, good through June 12th of 2010. The world is in a mess because we refuse to face our future.

Here are the details of the attempted bombing:

Delta Northwest Flight 253 landed safely in Detroit today - Christmas Day, after Abdul Mudallad  tried but failed to blow up the plane on its descent. The would-be bomber appears to have several aliases: Abdul Farouk Mudallad and Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab. White House officials have called the incident an "act of terrorism." Updates as available.

Mudallah, 23, allegedly tried to detonate explosives strapped to his leg. The device is believed be a powder and liquid mixture. The Nigerian flew KLM Flight 588 from Nigeria to Amsterdam where he boarded Flight 253, a Northwest Airbus 330 with 278 passengers.

According to ABC News, the suspect told authorities that he had explosive powder taped to his leg and used a syringe of chemicals to detonate the powder.

Syed Jafry, of Holland, Michigan, told the Detroit News that he was sitting in the 16th row when he heard “a pop and saw some smoke and fire”. Mr Jafry said that people ran out of their seats to tackle the suspect.

Dawn Griffith, from Pontiac, Michigan, who was waiting to meet a passenger, told the newspaper that she saw a “young looking” man being taken from the airport handcuffed to a stretcher with his hands bandaged.
Peter Smith, a witness describes the scene aboard the flight:
The man was "subdued immediately," Elliott said. Northwest is a wholly owned subsidiary of Delta.

"There was one guy, who sat on the other side, the right side of the wing because this was on the left side of the wing, and he jumped over the other people and he took care of it," said passenger Peter Smith.

The suspect told authorities that he had explosive powder taped to his leg and used a syringe of chemicals to mix with the powder that was to cause explosion. This is of concert because it is a method of mixing that is consistent with terror techniques.
There are unconfirmed reports that some passengers were injured. Mudallad is believed to have second degree burns. Naturally, the U.S. would be merciful to a man desperate to kill American infidels:
The Nigerian suspect suffered second-degree burns and was being treated at the University of Michigan Medical Centre, where authorities were questioning him. On landing, the Northwest flight was directed to an isolated part of the Detroit airport as police and firemen responded.
Mudallad or Abdulmutallab is believed to be an engineering student at University College London. He allegedly claimed he was following instructions from al-Qaeda, and indeed, he is on a US "watch-List" according to this report, but...not on a no-fly list!!! ABC News reports he was flying from Nigeria to the US for a "religious seminar," according to his entry visa which was issued in on June 16, 2008 - and get this, it was good until June 12, 2010.

12 comments:

  1. Ah yes, the old 2 year long religious seminar. When the dust settles, it will probably show that Homeland Security or the State Department or somebody is not doing their job.

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  2. He's on a U.S. "watch list", but somehow has a valid visa and isn't on the no-fly list. Brilliant. Just brilliant.

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  3. Gary, it does appear that that is the case. He had a visa, and I'm just hearing that it was denied for extension. That's good, but why did he have one in the first place.

    It WAS the two-year old religious seminar. These seminars should be forbidden in this country, and especially with participants coming in from Muslim countries to attend.

    We are not nearly serious enough about terrorism. We are still taking baby steps in a very grown-up war.

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  4. @flight to nigeria: No one here is blaming Obama for this. The State Department is likely the same bunch of Liberals that Bush embraced. I will say this, however, if Bush was wrong, why did Obama change things?

    There is also the not so veiled worldwide knowledge that Obama is a weak sister and so why not try?

    Back to Bush, had he not had the extreme Leftist pressure out of Congress, the man might actually have scared the terrorism out of these people. Instead, we coddled them, once we got our hands on them because the Left would not allow any or solution.

    Yes, those in Washington are idiots!!! This isn't a Liberal or Conservative issue.

    We appreciate you coming by, reading and commenting.

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  5. @ Anonymous: Yeah - brilliant - brilliantly stupid. It appears this guy also had the money to do about whatever he wanted to do.

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  6. I'm a spaniard who lives in Spain, Europe. Nevertheless, I feel and always felt very close to the US country, regardless of federal government or this or that particular policy. For those no familiar with the local boundaries, let me tell you that Islam is right at our door, and that the whole Europe is infiltrated from within by the hundred of thounsands muslims who, purportedly, want to live here and be like us, and really, want to destroy us. And as they cannot do it openly by waging war against us, they have elected a much more subtle way: their women's wombs, changing our demography and gaining momentum by the sheer force of bigger population. Using our legal systems, exploiting loopholes and shortcuts, they are being entitled with civil rights, right to vote, right to social money. That's right: we are paying the very same people who want to change our countries into a third world nasty cesspit. Now, Europe is lost. That much I'm afraid of. A continent of cowards, losers, laidback old folks, without the guts to stand up and fight for its future against the islamic invasion. But you, USA, you got a future. You are the best experiment in mankind's history. A country founded from the scratch, no more than 250 years ago, with all your problems, you are still every person's hope. So please wake up. OK, you've already have elected your official moron; but make it only one. In Spain, we have elected ours as well, but we have reoffended; we elected him for a second term, so he can betray us properly and put the final stake through our country's heart, everything in the name of tolerance and political correctness. Please close your border to anyone not qualyfing in english language, non islamic faith and no capable of making a living on his or her own. You are being invaded in every possible way. You are the first and last hope of western civilization, and as such, you are in the greatest of dangers. Would you give your house's keys to the person who's gonna rat you?. Stand up and defend yourselves, great evil is coming, and is already here in Europe, specially in Spain and the like.

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  7. @Anonymous: That is a very powerful comment. At Radarsite, we say exactly the same thing. We have spoken of the onslaught of births of Muslims all over the world. We know what is happening in Europe can probably not be turned around now.

    Our Looney Left refuses to see. Our Looney Left wants to rule. What they fail to recognize is that they will BE RULED.

    We, here, agree completely that a great evil is upon the world, and conservatives here are terrified that the Left will embrace it in the name of political correctness.

    I would like to post your comment inside a blog post. If that is not acceptable, just let me know. Thanks so much for reading and commenting.

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  8. Attention Mrs. Maggie M. Thornton. Regarding your idea of posting my comment in some other place, it's OK for me. I feel very grateful for your kindness. After all, I'm just a foreigner and some local in US could get upset about my speaking. Make my alias John Doebert, please. One final thought: I'm no average spaniard, make no mistake. People here are looking the other way, some trying to live their lives, some posturing as if anything happens, struggling to get food to the table, as economic situation is in shambles and worsening. One cannot expect a high degree of awareness regarding any other thing than the basics when there's no job, no income, no future. I'm fortunate to have a job and to be able to invest some time in getting acquainted with national and international situation in most scenarios. And islamic invasion is my main concern, as they are like termites. I think it was two years ago when a Palestinian mother showed in TV yelling and shouting that she was so proud that his son had blown himself up killing infidels. I was shocked to read an Israeli journalist commenting on the bomb blasts something like “as long as their hate for us is bigger than their love for their love ones, there's no solution". There you go: they treat themselves like they were all mere walking canister for their bombs. They want to be like us, and as they cannot (their Islamic system forbids it), they chose to destroy us. BTW, very good job in the blog, keep it up; I’ve reading it for months.

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  9. @John Doebert: Thanks for your permission to reprint your comment, for your visits here at Radarsite and your kind words.

    I'll try to have something up by later tomorrow.

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  10. I am a Nigerian and i stay in Abuja which is d capital of Nigeria also where the dad of suspected bomber resides. The dad is also not in support of such and i beleive we all here dont support such. We get a lot of people tanishing our good image. We re peace loving and very very good people. Those caught tanishing our image should be made to pay the price.

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  11. @ anonymous - John Doebert:

    I just posted your comments. See them here:

    http://radarsite.blogspot.com/2010/01/message-from-spainard-to-us-get.html

    Thanks again!

    Maggie

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  12. Your blog keeps getting better and better! Your older articles are not as good as newer ones you have a lot more creativity and originality now keep it up!

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