Passengers Helped Subdue Nigerian Terrorist

A passenger attempted to set off an explosive device during the descent of NWA flight 253 heading into DTW from Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport (AMS) around noon on Christmas Day. White House officials said President Obama is treating the incident as an attempted terrorist attack.

According to Peter King of New York, the top Republican on the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Homeland Security, 23-year-old Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab of Nigeria was attempting to destroy the plane with an explosive device. "This was not a firecracker. This was for real." said King "For a while now we have had real concerns about Al Qaeda or terrorist connections in Nigeria."

An affidavit by FBI Special Agent Theodore James Pessig of the Detroit Counter-Terrorism Squad states that the device likely contained the explosive pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN).  This is the same explosive that was used in another failed terrorist attack by the 'shoe bomber' Richard Reid in 2001.

Agent Pessig also reported that Abdulmutallab had just returned from the bathroom and covered himself with a blanket before the incident.  Passengers on the flight heard 'popping noises' similar to fireworks, smelled smoke, and saw flames erupting from Abdulmutallab's lap.  Passengers and crew then subdued him and extinguished the flames.

Jasper Schuringa told CNN that he "pulled the object from him and tried to extinguish the fire with my hands," before helping to haul Abdulmutallab to the front of the plane.  The Nigerian was stripped and searched for additional explosives before being restrained.

Once on the ground, the TSA exercised "an abundance of caution" by having the A330 taxi to the end of a runway where the terror suspect was arrested, passengers were interviewed after deplaning, and all onboard baggage was re-screened.  Abdulmutallab was taken to a local hospital with severe burns.
 
Asked about the explosives, King said, “It appears to be different from explosive devices that have been used before. That is perhaps why it escaped detection. Maybe that is why it made it through.”

Abdulmutallab transferred to the NWA flight in Amsterdam after a taking KLM out of Lagos, Nigeria.  Officials reported he went through normal security screening and was not selected for secondary screening.

According to a statement from DHS, Secretary Janet Napolitano stated "I am grateful to the passengers and crew aboard Northwest Flight 253 who reacted quickly and heroically to an incident that could have had tragic results. The Department of Homeland Security immediately put additional screening measures into place- for all domestic and international flights- to ensure the continued safety of the traveling public."

FMI: www.tsa.gov