CNN: Device was on fire in terror suspect's lap, plane passenger says

Contrary to earlier reports, the suspect was not on the no-fly list and the powder he had, while flammable, was not explosive. Still, makes you wonder how he got on the plane with the stuff. Good to see passengers have not gotten complacent.

That's a big key: passengers not afraid to react quickly & decisively!

The TSA has already instituted new security precautions, which seem more like inconveniences. Because this guy tried to ignite some sort-of explosive (on his lap) in the last hour of flight, now passengers are not allowed to get up during the last hour of flight. They must remain seated for the final hour, and there are restrictions on having pillows or blankets on your lap. (Wouldn't a terrorist then just detonate a device before the final hour? Or do so in the lavatory, rather than on their lap?)

Additionally, carry-on items are reduced to 1 item and there may be pat-down searches at the gate. Presently, these measures are affecting only U.S.-bound international flights.

Jesper Schuringa, the Dutch man who helped subdue the terrorist and helped put out the fire. CNN interview.

He's cute, a hero and speaks more coherent English than 90% of Americans.

Boy is he gonna get dates in Miami!

BTW - agree with you 100% about the new regulations. Total crap. The guys own father tried to warn about him and there was inadequate follow-up or precautions.

I still think more people will be killed by lack of health insurance than domestic terrorist in the coming year, and this was obviously something that - from the current evidence - looked preventable.

Here's a first-person report from a man who was on the AMS-DTW flight.

another reason why i hate to fly. it doesn't get easier. i hate shit like this.

What a powerful story. Well written too. Now I know what to expect if I were in the same type of situation. They only thing I'd certainly ask for is food & water. The rest would involve LOTS of patience.

I loved these quotes:

NY Times: Security System Failed, Napolitano Acknowledges

Interesting that the Amsterdam airport has these advanced screening devices, but they are not used on passengers travelling to the U.S. While giving passengers a "pat-down" may have some use, it's only as effective as the person who does the pat-down. And pat-downs may raise issues of privacy and, possibly, inappropriate behavior by the person doing the patting down.


Air Canada has posted an advisory on their website about flight cancellations due to the new U.S. security measures. Good luck to people flying over the holidays.

This is what sucks for me about flying frequently. For people who don't even travel that much they want to bitch and moan about long lines and waiting. Ya know what...if something tragic had happened people would be all "well how did this happen and shouldn't they have tougher security measures in place". Nothing happens and its a bitch fest about longer times to get to the airport. Ya know what...invest in an iPod and bring your patience with you to the airport. This is the price we pay for the freedoms that we have. I was out and about today and heard this man whining away about how much longer it took him at the airport than when he flew "LAST YEAR"! Yeah...its those non traveling asses that get on my nerves so much. Shut up buddy. I fly at LEAST twice a month and have learned to just deal with it. You flying once a year need to just deal!!

The propaganda coup for Al Qaeda is probably the most damaging effect of this incident. They are already using the smiling face of a handsome young Abdul Farouk Umar Abdulmutallab on their website to promote their alleged involvement in the attempted suicidal attack. Apparently they see it as a recruitment advertisement opportunity - one of the many ways the organization seems to be learning from the international marketing industry epitomized by Wall Street.

A more representative photo appears in this British online article in which he appears more as the international playboy that probably more suits his pre-Al Qaeda radicalization persona.

It may also be significant that Abdulmutallab is from Nigeria - like the USA a former British colony, though of more recent extraction as an independent state. This article from an online Nigerian source suggests that even less is being printed there about him than here in the USA - not their problem for now obviously.

The father of the attempted bomber, and his family have so far promised "full cooperation" with USA and other security authorities. Contrast that to the bin Laden's being hustled out of the USA without being interrogated. This is real progress that - unlike the lax security only now being admitted by Napolitano - should make us all feel a bit safer. The passengers on a plane should be the very last line of terror defense.

On one level I totally agree, but on another if all we do is continue to react to incidents eventually we're all going to end up flying naked w/ catheters after getting full body CT scans at the gate.

This incident was totally preventable with the measures we currently have in place. He was known to the gov't as someone who was radicalizing; he bought his ticket with cash; and, he had no checked baggage. I paid cash once for a ticket and was delayed so long I missed my flight, and I had luggage

We need a solution that allows security to heavily investigate those known, or showing signs of terrorism and let others go through with less hassle.

So true, SeaCraig.

1) He was on the larger watch list, and had been barred from reentering the UK.
2) His father, a prominent person in Nigeria, reported him directly to the US officials in Nigeria after having gone to the Nigerian govt. itself.
3) He was known to have spent two long stays in Yemen, a country in which the US is currently engaging in extensive anti-terrorism activities (or so we're being told).
4) The guy purchased a 1-way ticket from Lagos to the US WITH CASH, and only 1 piece of luggage. (3 yrs ago when I had to purchase a 1-way ticket by credit card because I'd missed a flight, the airlines repeatedly checked my info, and I was searched as soon as I got to the security area--my bags, a patdown, etc., for a domestic flight!)
5) The Amsterdam airport has sophisticated scanning equipment, and also usually is pretty thorough in searching people. Recently traveling back from another European country, my partner and I had our passports checked scanned and carefully reviewed (as did everyone else), our bags were scanned, there were security officials with bomb-sniffing dogs, the whole shebang.

Now we learn that not all the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission have been implemented. What a joke! When is this country and our government going to get their acts together? And yes, I am including the current administration in my critique as much as the last one. President Obama has been long on skullduggery and continuing some of the worst Bush policies and short on transparency and giving this country the change we voted for.

I don't understand why the US (and obviously Amsterdam too since thats where the undie bomber got through security undetected) don't just go to Israel for a lesson in airport security. It is much tougher over there and there isn't all of that nakedness you are suggesting should we really tighten ours. When it comes to my security on an airplane, I'm willing to have to stretch my patience more for peace of mind when I'm 30,000 feet in the air and some dipshit has thoughts about trying to blow the thing up.

How Israel does it.

Unlike our misguided "system", it works, and with WAY less hassle.

Thanks for posting this article. Their system makes sense and targets the "bag guy" and not the regular traveler.

I think we in the USA still have a hard time reading body language, and separating that from ethnic features.

Rachel Maddow carves up Rudy Guiliani's statement that there were "no domestic attacks under Bush."