Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search

Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab Born December 22, 1986 (1986-12-22) (age 23) Lagos, Nigeria Alias(es) Omar Farooq al-Nigeri Charge(s) Indicted on six criminal counts, including attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction, attempted murder of 289 people, attempted destruction of a civilian aircraft, placing a destructive device on an aircraft, and 2 explosive possession charges [1] Penalty Not available Status Incarcerated Occupation Engineering, MBA, and Arabic language student Parents Alhaji Umaru Mutallab (father) and Aisha (mother)

Northwest Airlines Flight 253 Incident Aftermath Reactions Perpetrators Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab Anwar al-Awlaki Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula v • d • e

Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab (also referred to as Umar Abdul Mutallab and Omar Farooq al-Nigeri; born December 22, 1986, in Lagos)^[2] is a Nigerian citizen who attempted to detonate plastic explosives hidden in his underwear while on board Northwest Airlines Flight 253, en route from Amsterdam to Detroit, Michigan, on December 25, 2009.^[1][3]
He was subsequently charged on six criminal counts, including attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction and attempted murder of 289 people. He is in U.S. custody, awaiting further legal proceedings.

Contents [show] 1 Background 1.1 Togo: High school years 1.2 Yemen: 2004–05 1.3 Web postings 1.4 London: September 2005 – June 2008 1.5 Dubai: January–July 2009 1.6 Yemen: August–December 2009 1.6.1 The awareness of US intelligence 1.7 Contact with Islamic extremists 1.7.1 Ties to Anwar al-Awlaki 2 Attack 3 Aftermath 4 Incarceration and trial 5 References 6 External links

[edit] Background

Abdulmutallab is the youngest of the 16 children^[4] of Alhaji Umaru Mutallab, one of the richest men in Africa and the prominent former Chairman of First Bank of Nigeria and former Nigerian Federal Commissioner for Economic Development.^[4][5][6] His Nigerian mother, Aisha, is the second of his father's two wives.^[7]
The family comes from Funtua in Katsina State. Abdulmutallab was raised initially in an affluent neighborhood of Kaduna,^[8] in Nigeria's Muslim-dominated north,^[4] and at the family home in Nairobi, Kenya.^[9] As a young boy he attended the Essence International School in Kaduna, as well as classes at the Rabiatu Mutallib Institute for Arabic and Islamic Studies, which is named after his grandfather.^[10] As a child he enjoyed playing PlayStation and basketball, but as he grew older he abandoned such pursuits in favor of striving to be more devoutly Islamic.^[8] According to one of his cousins, Abdulmutallab condemned his father's banking profession as "immoral" and "un-Islamic" for charging interest, urging him to quit.^[8]

[edit] Togo: High school years

He attended high school at the British International School in Lomé, the capital of Togo,^[6] a private school that is popular among wealthy Nigerians. Abdulmutallab was known as a devout Muslim and for preaching about Islam to his schoolmates.^[11] While at school, he was nicknamed "Alfa," which is a term for Muslim clerics,^[12] and "Pope"^[9] – both due to his piety. A teacher, John McGuinness, described Abdulmutallab as "incredibly polite and very hard-working" during this time, while also noting his devotion to the Muslim faith.
He was described as a "dream student" by his history teacher, Michael Rimmer.^[13] The Telegraph interviewed Rimmer, who said that Abdulmutallab had defended the Taliban during classroom discussions of their social policies, and their destruction of the Buddhas of Bamiyan. Rimmer described Abdulmutallab's family as "wonderful", and said he had been fond of Abdulmutallab. He also said he thought Abdulmutallab had been playing "devil's advocate" during the classroom discussions, and that he had really understood Abdulmutallab, but concluded he had not understood him after all.^[14]
Abdulmutallab visited the U.S. for the first time in 2004.^[15]

[edit] Yemen: 2004–05

For the 2004–05 academic year, Abdulmutallab studied at the San'a Institute for the Arabic Language in Sana'a, Yemen, and attended lectures at Iman University.^{[16][17][18][19]}

[edit] Web postings

CNN reported that in regard to the internet username "Farouk1986," "the many detailed biographical points made by the poster match what has been reported about Mutallab's life."^[20] On December 28, 2009, a U.S. government official said the government was reviewing the online postings, and has not yet independently confirmed the authenticity of the posts.^[21]
CNN reported that, by 2005, "Farouk1986"'s postings "had a serious view of his religion."^[20] Tracey D. Samuelson of the Christian Science Monitor said that the posts "suggest a student preoccupied by university admissions and English soccer clubs, but who was also apparently lonely and conflicted."^[22] The Washington Post reviewed 300 online postings by "Farouk1986"; Philip Rucker and Julie Tate of the Washington Post said: "Taken together, the writings demonstrate an acute awareness of Western customs and a worldliness befitting Mutallab's privileged upbringing as a wealthy Nigerian banker's son."^[21] The user name posted on Facebook and on Islamic Forum (gawaher.com).^{[19][22][23][24][25][26]}
Farouk1986 discussed loneliness and marriage in his postings between 2005 and 2007, writing on January 28, 2005:

As i get lonely, the natural sexual drive awakens and i struggle to control it, sometimes leading to minor sinful activities like not lowering the gaze [in the presence of unveiled women]. And this problem makes me want to get married to avoid getting aroused.

And:

The hair of a woman can easily arouse a man. The Prophet (SAW) advised young men to fast if they can't get married but it has not been helping me much and I seriously don't want to wait for years before I get married. But i am only 18 ... It would be difficult for me to get married due to social norms of getting to the late 20's when one has a degree, a job, a house, etc before getting married. So usually my fa[n]tasies are about islamic stuff. The bad part of it is sometimes the fantasies are a bit worldly rather than concentrating in the hereafter.^[27]

In a posting on February 20, 2005, he wrote:

Alright, i wont go into too much details about me fantasy, but basically they are jihad fantisies [sic]. I imagine how the great jihad will take place, how the muslims will win insha Allah and rule the whole world, and establish the greatest empire once again!!!^[28]

And in a May 2005 posting, he referred to radical Jamaican-born Muslim cleric Abdullah el-Faisal, who had been imprisoned in the UK for urging his followers to murder Jews, Hindus, and Americans, writing:

“i thought once they are arrested, no one hears about them for life and the keys to their prison wards are thrown away. That’s what I heard sheikh faisal of UK say (he has also been arrested i heard).”^[29]

In January 2006 he chastised female users for not wearing the hijab, adding:

I don’t think it is allowed to be just friends with someone from the opposite sex. Except when thinking of marriage or when you have to work together.^[30]

[edit] London: September 2005 – June 2008

The University College London Main Building

Abdulmutallab began his studies at University College London in September 2005, where he studied Engineering and Business Finance,^[31] and earned a degree in mechanical engineering in June 2008.^{[4][11][32][33][34]}
He was president of the school's Islamic Society, which some sources have described as a vehicle for peaceful protest against the actions of the United States and the United Kingdom in the War on Terrorism.^[12][19][35] During his tenure as president, along with political discussions, the club participated in activities such as martial arts training and paintballing; at least one of the Society's paintballing trips involved a preacher who reportedly said: “Dying while fighting jihad is one of the surest ways to paradise.”^[19] He is the fourth president of a London student Islamic society to face terrorist charges in three years.^[36] He devoted more time while at school to the group's activities than to his studies, graduating with a 2:2 ie: a low second class, ( equal to a grade point average of 3.0 )–according to a friend. He organized a conference in January 2007 under the banner “War on Terror Week”, and advertised speakers including political figures, human rights lawyers, speakers from Cageprisoners, and former Guantánamo Bay detainees.^[37] One lecture, Jihad v Terrorism, was billed as “a lecture on the Islamic position with respect to jihad”.^[37]
During those years he “crossed the radar screen” of MI5, the UK's domestic counter-intelligence and security agency, for radical links and “multiple communications” with Islamic extremists.^[38][39]
At the age of 21, Abdulmutallab told his parents that he wanted to get married; they refused to allow him to do so on the grounds that he had not earned a master's degree.^[8]
On June 12, 2008, Abdulmutallab applied for and received from the U.S. consulate in London a U.S. multiple-entry visa, valid to June 12, 2010, with which he visited Houston, Texas, from August 1–17, 2008.^[40][41] After graduating from university, Abdulmutallab made regular visits to Kaduna.^[42]

[edit] Dubai: January–July 2009

From January until July 2009, he attended a master's of international business degree program at University of Wollongong in Dubai.^[43][44][45]
In May 2009, Abdulmutallab tried to return to Britain, ostensibly for a six-month "life coaching" program at what the British authorities concluded was a fictitious school; accordingly, his visa application was denied by the United Kingdom Border Agency.^[11] His name was placed on a UK Home Office security watch list, which according to BBC News means he could not enter the UK, though passing through the country in transit was permissible and he was not permanently banned; the UK did not share the information with other countries.^[46][47] This is because the application was rejected to prevent immigration fraud rather than for a national security purpose.^[9]

[edit] Yemen: August–December 2009

Intelligence officials suspect al-Awlaki may have directed Abdulmutallab to Yemen for al-Qaeda training.^[48] Abdulmutallab's father agreed in July 2009 to his request to return to the San'a Institute for the Arabic Language in Yemen to study Arabic from August to September 2009.^[4][19] He arrived in the country in August.
Abdulmutallab was the only African student in the school of 70 students.^[49] A fellow student at the Institute said Abdulmutallab would start his day by going to the mosque for dawn prayers, and then would spend hours in his room reading the Quran. Ahmed Mohammed, one of his teachers, said Abdulmutallab spent the last 10 days of Ramadan sequestered in a mosque.^[50] He apparently left the Institute after a month, while remaining in-country.^[4][19][51]
His family became concerned in August 2009 when he called them to say he had dropped the course, but was remaining there.^[4] By September he routinely skipped his classes at the Institute and attended lectures at Iman University, notorious for suspected links to terrorism.^[19] “He told me his greatest wish was for sharia and Islam to be the rule of law across the world,” said one of his classmates at the Institute.^[19]
The Institute obtained an exit visa for him at his request, and on September 21 arranged for a car that took him to the airport. But the school's director said: "After that, we never saw him again, and apparently he did not leave Yemen".^[52] In October, Abdulmutallab sent his father a text message saying that he was no longer interested in pursuing an MBA in Dubai, and wanted instead to study sharia and Arabic in a seven-year course in Yemen.^[19] His father threatened to cut off his funding, whereupon Abdulmutallab said he was “already getting everything for free”.^[19] When his father asked who would sponsor him, Abdulmutallab replied "That's none of your business."^[53] Among the other text messages he sent to his father were: "I've found a new religion, the real Islam"; "You should just forget about me, I'm never coming back"; "Please forgive me. I will no longer be in touch with you"; and "Forgive me for any wrongdoing, I am no longer your child."^[4][19][54] The family last had contact with Abdulmutallab in October 2009.^[55]
Yemeni officials said that he was in Yemen from early August 2009, overstayed his student visa (which was valid through September 21), and left Yemen on December 7 (flying to Ethiopia, and then two days later to Ghana).^[56][57] Yemeni officials have said that Abdulmutallab traveled to the mountainous Shabwah Province to meet with "Al Qaeda elements" before leaving Yemen.^[8] A video of Abdulmutallab and others training in a desert camp, firing weapons at targets including the Jewish star, the British Union Jack, and the letters "UN", was produced by al-Qaeda in Yemen (whose logo is in a corner of the screen).^[58] The tape also includes an apparent martyrdom statement from him, justifying his actions against "the Jews and the Christians and their agents."^[58] Ghanaian officials say he was there from December 9 until December 24, when he flew to Lagos.^[59]
In February 2010, a Yemeni security official said that 43 people were being interrogated for links to the Christmas Day attempt, including foreigners, some of them studying Arabic and others married to Yemeni women. Abdulmutallab was thought to have used Arabic studies as a pretext for entering the country.^[60]

[edit] The awareness of US intelligence

On November 11, 2009, British intelligence officials sent the U.S. a cable indicating that a man named "Umar Farouk" had spoken to al-Awlaki, pledging to support jihad, but the cable did not reflect Abdulmutallab's last name.^[61] Abdulmutallab's father made a report to two CIA officers at the U.S. Embassy in Abuja, Nigeria, on November 19 regarding his son's "extreme religious views",^[4][62] and told the embassy that Abdulmutallab might be in Yemen.^{[6][19][33][63]} Acting on the report, the suspect's name was added in November 2009 to the U.S.'s 550,000-name Terrorist Identities Datamart Environment, a database of the U.S. National Counterterrorism Center. It was not added, however, to the FBI's 400,000-name Terrorist Screening Database, the terror watch list that feeds both the 14,000-name Secondary Screening Selectee list and the U.S.'s 4,000-name No Fly List,^[64] nor was his U.S. visa revoked.^[19]
U.S. State Department officials said in Congressional testimony that the State Department had wanted to revoke Abdulmutallab's visa, but U.S. intelligence officials requested that his visa not be revoked. The intelligence officials' stated reason was that revoking Abdulmutallab's visa could have foiled a larger investigation into al-Qaida.^[65]
Abdulmutallab's name had come to the attention of intelligence officials many months before that,^[66] but no "derogatory information" was recorded about him.^[41] A Congressional official said that Abdulmutallab's name appeared in U.S. reports reflecting that he had connections to both al-Qaeda and Yemen.^[67] The NCTC did not check to see whether Abdulmutallab's American visa was valid, or whether he had a British visa that was valid; therefore, they did not learn that the British had rejected Abdulmutallab's visa application earlier in 2009.^[9] The British did not inform the Americans because the visa application was denied to prevent immigration fraud and not for a national security purpose.^[9]

[edit] Contact with Islamic extremists

The New York Times reported that "officials said the suspect told them he had obtained plastic explosives that were sewn into his underwear and a syringe from a bomb expert in Yemen associated with Al Qaeda."^[68][69]
Abdulmutallab had been a devout Muslim throughout his youth, but it is unclear when he became "radicalized." During his time in London, he reportedly visited the London Muslim Centre three times; the Centre is expected to be a focus of future investigations.^[12]
In April 2009, Abdulmutallab had applied to attend an Islamic seminar in Houston, Texas. He obtained a multiple-entry visa in the U.S. Consulate in June 2008 that would be valid until June 2010. He attended the Islamic seminar from August 1–17 at AlMaghrib Institute.^[70]
When Abdulmutallab returned to Yemen, purportedly to study Arabic again, he appeared to have undergone a personality change: he was more religious and "a loner", and wore traditional Islamic clothing.^[71] He rarely attended class, and sometimes he left class midway to go pray at a mosque.^[8]

[edit] Ties to Anwar al-Awlaki

Main article: Anwar al-Awlaki

Anwar al-Awlaki, who reportedly had ties to Abdulmutallab

A number of sources reported contacts between Abdulmutallab and Anwar al-Awlaki, a Muslim lecturer and spiritual leader who is accused of being a senior al-Qaeda talent recruiter and motivator. Al-Awlaki, previously an imam in the U.S. who more recently has lived in Yemen, also has links to three of the 9/11 hijackers, the 2005 London subway bombers, a 2006 Toronto terror cell, a 2007 Fort Dix attack plot, and the 2009 Fort Hood shooter.^{[72][73][74][75]}
With a blog and a Facebook page, he has been described as the "bin Laden of the internet."^[76]
Despite being banned from entering the UK in 2006, al-Awlaki spoke on at least seven occasions at five different venues around Britain via video-link in 2007–09.^[77] He gave a number of video-link lectures at the East London Mosque during this period. In one instance, the mosque provoked the outrage of The Daily Telegraph by hosting a video-teleconference by al-Awlaki in 2008, and former Shadow Home Secretary Dominic Grieve expressed concern over al-Awlaki's involvement.^[78] On New Year's Day 2009 the mosque played a pre-recorded video lecture by al-Awlaki, with a poster depicting New York in flames.^[79][80] He also gave video-link talks in England to an Islamic student society at the University of Westminster in September 2008, an arts center in East London in April 2009 (after the Tower Hamlets council gave its approval), worshipers at the Al Huda Mosque in Bradford, and a dinner of the Cageprisoners organization in September 2008 at the Wandsworth Civic Centre in South London (at which he said "We should make jihad for our brothers and an angel will make the same jihad for you").^[77][81][82] On August 23, 2009, al-Awlaki was banned by local authorities in Kensington and Chelsea, London, from speaking at Kensington Town Hall via videolink to a fundraiser dinner for Guantanamo detainees promoted by Cageprisoners.^[83][84] His videos, which discuss his Islamist theories, have also circulated in England.^[85][86][87]
Pete Hoekstra, the senior Republican on the House Intelligence Committee, said on the day of the attack that Obama administration officials and officials with access to law enforcement information told him "there are reports [the suspect] had contact [with al-Awlaki].... The question we'll have to raise is was this imam in Yemen influential enough to get some people to attack the U.S. again."^[88][89][90] He added: "The suspicion is ... that [the suspect] had contact with al-Awlaki. The belief is this is a stronger connection with al-Awlaki" than Hasan had.^[91] Hoekstra later said credible sources told him Abdulmutallab "most likely" has ties with al-Awlaki.^[92][93]
The Sunday Times established that Abdulmutallab first met and attended lectures by al-Awlaki in 2005, when he was in Yemen to study Arabic.^[19][94] The two are also "thought to have met" in London, according to The Daily Mail.^[95] Fox News reported that evidence collected during searches of "flats or apartments of interest" connected to Abdulmutallab in London showed that he was a "big fan" of al-Awlaki, as web traffic showed he followed Awlaki's blog and website.^[96]
However, there is no clear evidence that the two men met in London. NPR reported that according to unnamed intelligence officials Abdulmutallab attended a sermon by al-Awlaki at the Finsbury Park Mosque "in the fall of 2006 or 2007",^[48] but al-Awlaki was in fact in prison in Yemen during that period. The Finsbury Park Mosque has stated: "neither Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab nor Anwar al-Awlaki has ever been invited to attend NLCM since we took charge of the mosque in February 2005. We can be certain that neither man has been given a platform at the mosque in any form".^[97] CBS News and The Sunday Telegraph reported that Abdulmutallab attended a talk by al-Awlaki at the East London Mosque (which al-Awlaki may have participated in by video teleconference).^[77][98] However, The Sunday Telegraph has since removed the report from its website following a complaint by the East London Mosque, who stated that "Anwar Al Awlaki did not deliver any talks at the ELM between 2005 and 2008, which is when the newspaper had falsely alleged that Abdullmutallab had attended such talks".^[99]
University of Oxford historian, and professor of international relations, Mark Almond wrote that the suspect was "on American security watch-lists because of his links with ... Al-Awlaki".^[100]
CBS News said that the two were communicating in the months before the bombing attempt, and sources say that at a minimum al-Awlaki was providing spiritual support.^[101] According to federal sources, over the year prior to the attack, Abdulmutallab intensified electronic communications with al-Awlaki.^[102]
Intelligence officials suspect al-Awlaki may have directed Abdulmutallab to Yemen for al-Qaeda training.^[48] One government source described intercepted "voice-to-voice communication" between the two during the fall of 2009, saying that al-Awlaki "was in some way involved in facilitating [Abdulmutallab]'s transportation or trip through Yemen. It could be training, a host of things."^[103]
Abdulmutallab reportedly told the FBI that al-Awlaki was one of his trainers when he underwent al-Qaeda training in remote camps in Yemen, and there were "informed reports" that Abdulmutallab met al-Awlaki during his final weeks of training and indoctrination prior to the attack.^[104][105] According to a U.S. intelligence official, intercepts and other information point to connections between the two:

Some of the information ... comes from Abdulmutallab, who ... said that he met with al-Awlaki and senior al-Qaeda members during an extended trip to Yemen this year, and that the cleric was involved in some elements of planning or preparing the attack and in providing religious justification for it. Other intelligence linking the two became apparent after the attempted bombing, including communications intercepted by the National Security Agency indicating that the cleric was meeting with "a Nigerian" in preparation for some kind of operation.^[106]

Yemen's Deputy Prime Minister for Defense and Security Affairs, Rashad Mohammed al-Alimi, said Yemeni investigators believe the suspect traveled in October to Shabwa, where he met with suspected al-Qaida members in a house built by al-Awlaki and used by al-Awlaki to hold theological sessions, and that Abdulmutallab was trained and equipped there with his explosives.^[107] "If he went to Shabwa, for sure he would have met Anwar al-Awlaki," al-Alimi said. Al-Alimi also said he believed al-Awlaki is alive.^[108] A top Yemen government official said the two met with each other.^[109] And Abdul Elah al-Shaya, a Yemeni journalist, said a healthy al-Awlaki called him on December 28 and said that the Yemeni government's claims as to his death were "lies". Shaya declined to comment as to whether al-Awlaki had told him about any contacts he may have had with Abdulmutallab. According to Gregory Johnsen, a Yemeni expert at Princeton University, Shaya is generally reliable.^[110]
At the end of January 2010, a Yemeni journalist, Abdulelah Hider Sha’ea, said he met with al-Awlaki, who said he had met and spoken with Abdulmutallab in Yemen in the fall of 2009. Al-Awlaki also reportedly said Abdulmutallab was one of his students, that he supported what Abdulmutallab did but did not tell him to do it, and that he was proud of Abdulmutallab. A New York Times journalist listened to a digital recording of the meeting, and said that while the tape's authenticity could not be independently verified, the voice resembled that on other recordings of al-Awlaki.^[111]
Al-Awlaki released a tape in March 2010, in which he said, in part:

To the American people ... nine years after 9/11, nine years of spending, and nine years of beefing up security you are still unsafe even in the holiest and most sacred of days to you, Christmas Day....

Our brother Umar Farouk has succeeded in breaking through the security systems that have cost the U.S. government alone over 40 billion dollars since 9/11.^[112]

On April 6, 2010, The New York Times reported that President Obama had authorized the targeted killing of al-Awlaki.^[113]

[edit] Attack

An Airbus A330 similar to the one involved in the Flight 253 incident.

Main article: Northwest Airlines Flight 253

On Christmas Day 2009, Abdulmutallab traveled to Amsterdam, where he boarded Northwest Airlines Flight 253 en route to Detroit. He had purchased his ticket with cash in Ghana on December 16.^[114] Prior to boarding the plane eyewitnesses Kurt Haskell and Lori Haskell testified live on CNN that they witnessed a "smartly dressed Indian man" helping Abdulmutallab onto the plane.^[115][116] They also testify that the ticket agent refused to allow Abdulmutallab on the plane because he did not have his own passport. ^[117]
Abdulmutallab spent about 20 minutes in the bathroom as the flight approached Detroit, and then covered himself with a blanket after returning to his seat. Other passengers then heard popping noises, smelled a foul odor, and some saw Abdulmutallab’s trouser leg and the wall of the plane on fire. Fellow passenger Jasper Schuringa, a Dutch film director, jumped on Abdulmutallab and subdued him as flight attendants used fire extinguishers to douse the flames.^[118] Abdulmutallab was taken toward the front of the airplane cabin, was seen to have lost his trousers due to the fire, and had burns on his legs.^[119] When asked by a flight attendant what he had in his pocket, he replied: “Explosive device.” The device consisted of a six-inch (15-cm) packet which was sewn into his underwear^{[1][120][121]} containing the explosive powder PETN, which became a plastic explosive when mixed^[122] with the high explosive triacetone triperoxide (TAPN) (the same two explosives that were used by Richard Reid in 2001^[123][124]), and a syringe containing liquid acid.^[125] Abdulmutallab created the explosive by mixing PETN with TAPN and other ingredients.^[125]
After being taken into custody, Abdulmutallab told authorities he had been directed by al Qaeda, and that he had obtained the device in Yemen.^[126] Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, the organization's affiliate in Yemen, subsequently claimed responsibility for the attack, describing it as revenge for the United States' role in a Yemeni military offensive against al Qaeda in that country.^[127]

[edit] Aftermath

The exterior of Federal Correctional Institution, Milan, where Abdulmutallab is incarcerated

Two days after the attack, Abdulmutallab was released from a hospital where he had been treated for first and second degree burns to his hands, and second degree burns to his right inner thigh and genitalia, sustained during the attempted bombing.^[128] Abdulmutallab, Federal Bureau of Prisons Register# 44107-039, is in Federal Correctional Institution, Milan, a federal prison in York Charter Township, Michigan.^[129][130]
New restrictions were imposed on U.S travelers, but the government was quiet about many of them because it "wanted the security experience to be 'unpredictable'".^[131] One day after she said that the system had "worked", Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano acknowledged that the aviation security system had indeed failed.^[132] President Barack Obama vowed that the U.S. government would track down all those responsible for the attack, and any attack being planned against the U.S.^[132] He also ordered a review of detection and watch list procedures. Saying that "totally unacceptable" systemic and human failures had occurred, Obama told reporters he was insisting on "accountability at every level," but did not give any details.^[133] Criticism of the system's failure to prevent Abdulmutallab from boarding the aircraft in the first place has been widespread; one critic, former FBI counterterrorism agent Ali Soufan, has said that it "should have been lighting up like a Christmas tree."^[9]
United States Senator Joe Lieberman called for the Obama administration to pre-emptively curb terrorism in Yemen and halt plans to repatriate Guantanamo detainees to Yemen.^[134] Peter Hoekstra and Congressional Representative Peter T. King^[135] also called for a halt to the repatriation of Guantanamo detainees from Yemen.^[136] Bennie Thompson, Chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, called for a halt to all current plans with regard to Yemen in light of Abdulmutallab's ties there.^[137]
Immediately after the attack, Lateef Adegbite, Secretary General of Nigeria's Supreme Council for Islamic Affair, condemned the attack and said: "We are embarrassed by this incident and we strongly condemn the alleged action by this young man. We do not think that there is any organised Islamic group in Nigeria that is inclined to such a criminal and violent act. We condemn such an extreme viewpoint and action."^[13]
On December 27, The Wall Street Journal reported that Abdulmutallab's suspected ties to jihadists from Yemen could potentially complicate the Obama administration's plans to release Yemeni detainees held in Guantanamo to Yemen.^[138]
On January 27, 2010 the House Committee on Homeland Security continued a series of hearings across Capitol Hill that started prior to January 27, 2010, all looking into the events leading up to and after the attempted bombing of Flight 253 over Detroit.^[139] Patrick F. Kennedy, an undersecretary for management at the State Department, said Abdulmutallab's visa was not taken away because intelligence officials asked his agency not to deny a visa to the suspected terrorist over concerns that a denial would have foiled a larger investigation into al-Qaida threats against the United States.^[140]
Reactions in the Muslim and Arabic-speaking media were mixed, from suspicion that it was a "set-up to lure the media and expand the scope and depth of a new chapter in the war on terror",^[141][142] to concerns that Nigerians would now be "unduly stigmatized."^[143]

[edit] Incarceration and trial

Abdulmutallab was charged on December 26, 2009, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, with two criminal counts: attempting to blow up and placing a destructive device on a U.S. civil aircraft.^[3] Additional charges were added in a grand jury indictment on January 6, 2010, including attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction and attempted murder of 289 people.^{[1][144][145]} He is incarcerated at the Federal Correctional Institution, Milan, Michigan, while awaiting further legal proceedings.^[130][146] If he is convicted on the charges, he will face a life sentence plus 90 years in prison.^[120]
Abdulmutallab initially cooperated with investigators, then stopped talking. The decision to read him his Miranda rights, advising him of his right to remain silent, generated criticism from a number of mostly Republican politicians.^[147] After the FBI brought two of Abdulmutallab's relatives from Nigeria to the U.S. to speak with him, he once again began to cooperate.^[148]
On 14 September 2010, the Associated Press reported Abdulmutallab had dismissed his court-appointed defense team in order to defend himself.^[149]

[edit] References

1. ^ ^{a b c d} Indictment in U.S. v. Abdulmutallab. January 6, 2010 [cited January 10, 2010]. CBS News.
2. ^ Meyer, Josh and Peter Nicholas. 1 Obama admits 'systemic failure' in airliner attack. December 29, 2009 [cited December 29, 2009]. Los Angeles Times.^{[dead link]}
3. ^ ^{a b} as reproduced on Huffington Post. U.S. v. Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, Criminal Complaint [cited December 26, 2009].
4. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i} DeYoung, Karen and Leahy, Michael (December 28, 2009). "Uninvestigated terrorism warning about Detroit suspect called not unusual". The Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/27/AR2009122700279.html. Retrieved December 27, 2009. 
5. ^ Kennedy, Dominic (December 28, 2009). "Abdulmutallab's bomb plans began with classroom defence of 9/11". The Times (London). http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article6969075.ece. Retrieved December 28, 2009. 
6. ^ ^{a b c} Goldsmith, Samuel (December 26, 2009). "Father of Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab, Nigerian terror suspect in Flight 253 attack, warned U.S.". NYDailyNews.com. http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/2009/12/26/2009-12-26_father_of_umar_farouk_abdul_mutallab_nigerian_terror_suspect_in_flight_253_attac.html. Retrieved December 26, 2009. 
7. ^ Sengupta, Kim; and Usborne, David. "Nigerian in aircraft attack linked to London mosque", The Independent, December 28, 2009. Retrieved December 28, 2009.
8. ^ ^{a b c d e f} Adam Nossiter (January 17, 2010). "Lonely Trek to Radicalism For Nigerian Terror Suspect". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/17/world/africa/17abdulmutallab.html?hp. Retrieved January 17, 2010. 
9. ^ ^{a b c d e f} Hosenball, Mark; Isikoff, Michael; Thomas, Evan (2010). "The Radicalization of Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab". Newsweek: 37–41. 
10. ^ Rice, Xan (December 31, 2009). "US airline bomb plot accused 'joined al-Qaida in London'". http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/dec/31/bombing-suspect-abdulmutallab-nigeria-home. Retrieved March 28, 2010. }
11. ^ ^{a b c} Schapiro, Rich (December 27, 2009). "Flight 253 terrorist Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab led life of luxury in London before attempted attack". New York Daily News (NYDailyNews.com). http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/2009/12/27/2009-12-27_untitled__2london27m.html. Retrieved December 27, 2009. 
12. ^ ^{a b c} John F. Burns (December 30, 2009). "Terror Inquiry Looks at Suspect’s Time in Britain". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/30/world/europe/30nigerian.html?_r=1&hp. Retrieved December 30, 2009. 
13. ^ ^{a b} Profile: Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, BBC, December 27, 2009
14. ^ Stephen Adams (December 27, 2009). 27, 2009 "Airline bomber suspect 'defended Taliban'". London: The Telegraph. Archived from the original on December 27, 2009. http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.telegraph.co.uk%2Fnews%2Fuknews%2Fterrorism-in-the-uk%2F6894196%2FAirline-bomber-suspect-defended-Taliban.html&date=December 27, 2009. 
15. ^ Carrie Johnson (December 29, 2009). "Explosive in Detroit terror case could have blown hole in airplane, sources say". The Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/28/AR2009122800582_2.html?sid=ST2009122802585. Retrieved January 18, 2010. 
16. ^ Mohammed al Qadhi (December 29, 2009). "Detroit bomb suspect ‘smart but introverted’ says Yemen classmate". The National. http://www.thenational.ae/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091230/FOREIGN/712299856/1002/NEWS. Retrieved January 18, 2010. 
17. ^ Jon Gambrell (December 29, 2009). "Web posts suggest lonely, depressed terror suspect". The Star. Associated Press (Toronto). http://www.thestar.com/news/world/article/743657--yemen-reveals-details-of-terror-suspect-s-time-in-country. Retrieved January 18, 2010. 
18. ^ Andrew England (January 2, 2010). "Quiet charm of student linked to airliner plot". The Financial Times. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/70f97fec-f73d-11de-9fb5-00144feab49a.html. Retrieved January 18, 2010. 
19. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i j k l m n} Newell, Claire; Lamb, Christina; Ungoed-Thomas, Jon; Gourlay, Chris; Dowling, Kevin; Tobin, Dominic (January 3, 2010). "Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab: one boy’s journey to jihad". The Sunday Times (London). http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article6974073.ece. Retrieved January 2, 2010. 
20. ^ ^{a b} "Online poster appears to be Christmas Day bomb suspect." CNN. December 29, 2009. Retrieved on December 29, 2009.
21. ^ ^{a b} Rucker, Philip and Julie Tate. "In online posts apparently by Detroit suspect, religious ideals collide." The Washington Post. Tuesday December 29, 2009. Retrieved on December 29, 2009.
22. ^ ^{a b} Samuelson, Tracey D. "'Farouk1986': what Christmas bombing suspect wrote online." Christian Science Monitor. December 29, 2009. Retrieved on December 29, 2009.
23. ^ al Qadhi, Mohammed. "Detroit bomb suspect ‘smart but introverted’ says Yemen classmate", The National, December 29, 2009. Retrieved December 29, 2009.
24. ^ "Plane Attack Highlights Yemen Al-Qaeda Threat to U.S."^{[dead link]} Business Week, December 29, 2009. Retrieved December 29, 2009.
25. ^ "Web posts suggest lonely, depressed terror suspect", The Toronto Star, December 29, 2009, accessed December 30, 2009
26. ^ England, Andrew, Antonya, Allen, and Wallis, William, "Quiet charm of student linked to airliner plot," Financial Times, January 2, 2010, accessed January 2, 2010
27. ^ Greene, Leonard, "Sex torment drove him nuts", The New York Post, December 31, 2009, accessed January 4, 2010
28. ^ Chazan, Guy, "", The Wall Street Journal, December 30, 2009, accessed January 4, 2010
29. ^ Schmitt, Eric (December 31, 2009). "Schmitt, Eric, and Lipton, Eric, "Focus on Internet Imams as Al Qaeda Recruiters", ''The New York Times'', December 31, 2009, accessed January 4, 2010". Nytimes.com. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/01/us/01imam.html. Retrieved April 13, 2010. 
30. ^ "Gardham, Duncan, "Detroit bomber: internet forum traces journey from lonely schoolboy to Islamic fundamentalist", ''The Telegraph'', December 30, 2009, accessed January 4, 2010". London: Telegraph.co.uk. December 30, 2009. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/6910776/Detroit-bomber-internet-forum-traces-journey-from-lonely-schoolboy-to-Islamic-fundamentalist.html. Retrieved April 13, 2010. 
31. ^ "Statement update on attempted act of terrorism on Northwest Airlines Flight 253", UCL News, December 27, 2009. Retrieved December 29, 2009.
32. ^ Shane, Scott; Lipton, Eric (December 26, 2009). "Passengers’ Quick Action Halted Attack". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/27/us/27plane.html. 
33. ^ ^{a b} Lipton, Eric and Shane, Scott (December 27, 2009). "More Questions on Why Terror Suspect Was Not Stopped". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/28/us/28terror.html. Retrieved December 27, 2009. 
34. ^ Adams, Guy. "Bomber warns: there are more like me in Yemen; Al-Qa'ida claims responsibility as inquest into airport security begins", The Independent, December 29, 2009. Retrieved December 29, 2009.
35. ^ Dodds, Paisley (January 3, 2010). "UK knew US airline suspect had extremist ties". Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/03/AR2010010300723_2.html. ^{[dead link]}
36. ^ "Airline Bomb Suspect Reportedly Groomed While a Student in London". The Times. December 30, 2009. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,581457,00.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+foxnews%2Fworld+%28FOXNews.com+-+World%29. Retrieved January 4, 2010. 
37. ^ ^{a b} O'Neill, Sean; Whittell, Giles (December 30, 2009). "Al-Qaeda ‘groomed Abdulmutallab in London'". The Times. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article6971098.ece. 
38. ^ [http://www.economist.com/world/unitedstates/displayStory.cfm?story_id=15179544&source=hptextfeature "From shoes to soft drinks to underpants", The Economist, December 30, 2009.
39. ^ Leppard, David (January 3, 2010). "MI5 knew of Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab’s UK extremist links". The Sunday Times (London). http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article6973954.ece. Retrieved January 2, 2010. 
40. ^ Margasak, Larry; Williams, Corey (December 26, 2009). "Nigerian man charged in Christmas airliner attack". Associated Press. http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/top/all/6787865.html. Retrieved December 26, 2009. ^{[dead link]}
41. ^ ^{a b} Shane, Scott; Schmitt, Eric and Lipton, Eric (December 26, 2009). "U.S. Charges Suspect, Eyeing Link to Qaeda in Yemen". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/27/us/27terror.html. Retrieved December 26, 2009. 
42. ^ Rice, Xan (December 31, 2009). "Bombing suspect was pious pupil who shunned high life of the rich". London: The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/dec/31/bombing-suspect-abdulmutallab-nigeria-home. 
43. ^ McGinley, Shane. "Christmas Day bomber studied in Dubai", Arabian Business, December 29, 2009. Retrieved December 29, 2009.
44. ^ Afshan, Ahmed; and Amira, Agarib. "US bomb suspect studied briefly in Dubai", Khaleej Times, December 29, 2009. Retrieved December 29, 2009.
45. ^ Gilmore, Heath, and Sharp, Ari, "Would-be bomber had 'terror' conference," The Sydney Morning Herald, December 31, 2009, accessed December 30, 2009
46. ^ "Bomb suspect Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab on UK watch-list". BBC News. December 28, 2009. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8432180.stm. Retrieved December 28, 2009. 
47. ^ Rayner, Gordon, "Detroit terror attack: timeline", The Telegraph, December 30, 2009, accessed December 30, 2009
48. ^ ^{a b c} Temple-Raston, Dina. "Officials: Cleric Had Role In Christmas Bomb Attempt". All Things Considered (National Public Radio). http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=123894237. Retrieved March 13, 2010. 
49. ^ Erlanger, Steven (December 32, 2009). "Nigerian May Have Used Course in Yemen as Cover". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/01/world/middleeast/01yemen.html. 
50. ^ "Nigeria: Abdulmutallab – More Trouble for Nigerian". Daily Independent (Lagos). December 30, 2009. http://allafrica.com/stories/200912310650.html. 
51. ^ Elliott, Philip; and Baldor, Lolita C. "Obama: US Intel Had Info Ahead of Airliner Attack", ABC News, December 29, 2009. Retrieved December 30, 2009.
52. ^ ""Was Yemen course cover for terror suspect?," ''UPI'', December 31, 2009, accessed January 2, 2010". Upi.com. December 31, 2009. http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2009/12/31/Was-Yemen-course-cover-for-terror-suspect/UPI-44421262302694/. Retrieved April 13, 2010. 
53. ^ Xan Rice in Kuduna (December 31, 2009). "Rice, Xan, "", ''The Guardian'', December 31, 2009, accessed January 4, 2010". London: Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/dec/31/bombing-suspect-abdulmutallab-nigeria-home. Retrieved April 13, 2010. 
54. ^ Gregory, Anthony, "Syringe bomber Umar Abdulmutallab chilling text messages to dad," The Mirror, January 1, 2010, accessed January 2, 2010
55. ^ Kennedy, Dominic. "Abdulmutallab's bomb plans began with classroom defence of 9/11", The Times, December 28, 2009. Retrieved December 28, 2009.
56. ^ "Abdulmutallab Visited Yemen This Year; Airline Terror Suspect Spent More than Four Months There, Yemeni Government Confirms", CBS News, December 28, 2009. Retrieved December 29, 2009.
57. ^ Font size Print E-mail Share 1 Comment (December 31, 2009). "Yemen: Abdulmutallab Had Expired Visa; Suspected Terrorist Should Have Left Country in September, but Remained Illegally until December, Officials Say," ''CBS News'', December 31, 2009, accessed January 1, 2010". Cbsnews.com. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/12/31/world/main6042470.shtml. Retrieved April 13, 2010. 
58. ^ ^{a b} "Underwear Bomber Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab: New Video of Training, Martyrdom Statements – ABC News". Abcnews.go.com. April 26, 2010. http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/underwear-bomber-video-training-martyrdom-statements/story?id=10479470. Retrieved May 12, 2010. 
59. ^ Childress, Sarah, "Ghana Probes Visit by Bomb Suspect", The Wall Street Journal, January 5, 2010, accessed January 5, 2010
60. ^ "Yemen investigates 43 for links to Xmas bombing"^{[dead link]}
61. ^ ""Alleged Christmas Bomber Said To Flip On Cleric; Official: Umar Farouk Abdullmutallab Says U.S.-Born Yemeni Cleric Anwar al-Awlaki Instructed Him In Explosives Plot," ''CBS News'', February 5, 2010, accessed February 5, 2010". Kdka.com. February 4, 2010. http://kdka.com/national/Umar.Farouk.Abdulmutallab.2.1471361.html. Retrieved April 13, 2010. ^{[dead link]}
62. ^ "Abdulmutallab Shocks Family, Friends". CBS News. December 28, 2009. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/12/28/world/main6029782.shtml. Retrieved December 28, 2009. 
63. ^ "Obama orders review of U.S. no-fly lists". AFP. http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5g576mMIiaVSpiw-wwX9rZ7uECILA. Retrieved December 28, 2009. 
64. ^ "Father of Terror Suspect Reportedly Warned U.S. About Son". Fox News. December 26, 2009. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,581193,00.html. Retrieved December 28, 2009. ^{[dead link]}
65. ^ The Detroit News, Jan 27. 2010, "Terror Suspect Kept Visa To Avoid Tipping Off Larger Investigation," [1]^{[dead link]}
66. ^ Sullivan, Eileen (December 26, 2009). "AP source: US officials knew name of terror suspect who tried to blow up airliner in Detroit". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/politics/wire/sns-ap-us-airliner-attack-terror-list,0,4989013.story. Retrieved December 26, 2009. ^{[dead link]}
67. ^ NBC, msnbc.com and news services (December 26, 2009). "U.S. knew of suspect, but how much?". msnbc.com. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34592031/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/. 
68. ^ Schmitt, Eric (December 26, 2009). "Officials Point to Suspect's Claim of Qaeda Ties in Yemen". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/27/us/27terror.html?scp=1&sq=bomber%20charged&st=cse. 
69. ^ Kenneth Chang (December 27, 2010). "Explosive on Flight 253 Is Among Most Powerful". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/28/us/28explosives.html?_r=1. Retrieved January 17, 2010. 
70. ^ "Accused airline attacker attended Houston class". Associated Press. December 30, 2009. http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_14095496. Retrieved December 31, 2009. ^{[dead link]}
71. ^ Sudarsan Raghavan (December 31, 2009). "Abdulmutallab's teachers, classmates at Yemen school say he became more religious". The Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/30/AR2009123002723.html?hpid=topnews. Retrieved January 17, 2010. 
72. ^ Johnston, Nicholas and Braun, Martin Z. Suspected Terrorist Tried to Blow Up Plane, U.S. Says. Bloomberg. December 26, 2009 [cited December 26, 2009].
73. ^ Jamie Doward. Passengers relive terror of Flight 253 as new threat emerges from al-Qaida. The Guardian. December 27, 2009 [cited December 27, 2009].
74. ^ Goldman, Russell. Muslim Cleric Anwar Awlaki Linked to Fort Hood, Northwest Flight 253 Terror Attacks; U.S.-Born Imam Affiliated With al Qaeda Has Been Linked to Several Terror Plots Against Americans. ABC News. December 29, 2009.
75. ^ Temple-Ralston, Dina, "In Plane Plot Probe, Spotlight Falls On Yemeni Cleric", NPR, December 30, 2009. Retrieved December 30, 2009.
76. ^ "The anatomy of a suicide bomber", The National, January 2, 2010. Retrieved January 2, 2010.
77. ^ ^{a b c} Detroit bomber's mentor continues to influence British mosques and universities. The Daily Telegraph. January 2, 2010 [cited January 2, 2010].^{[dead link]}
78. ^ Raynor, Gordon, "Muslim groups 'linked to September 11 hijackers spark fury over conference': A Muslim group has provoked outrage after inviting an extremist linked to the 9/11 hijackers to speak at a conference which is being promoted with a picture of New York in flames," ''The Daily Telegraph'', December 27, 2008, accessed November 12, 2009. (London) December 27, 2008 [cited April 13, 2010]. Telegraph.co.uk.
79. ^ Sengupta, Kim. Nigerian in aircraft attack linked to London mosque. The Independent. December 28, 2009 [cited December 28, 2009].
80. ^ Mail Foreign Service. Pictured: The charred remains of jet bomber's underwear in which he hid explosives to blow up plane. The Daily Mail. December 29, 2009 [cited December 29, 2009].
81. ^ O'Neill, Sean, "Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab had links with London campaign group", The Times, January 4, 2010. Retrieved January 3, 2010.
82. ^ Jeory, Ted. Library Ban on Sermons of Hate. Daily Express. January 10, 2010 [cited January 10, 2010].
83. ^ Doward, Jamie. Islamist preacher banned from addressing fundraiser. August 23, 2009 [cited November 12, 2009]. The Observer.
84. ^ O'Neill, Sean. Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab had links with London campaign group. The Times. January 4, 2010 [cited January 4, 2010].
85. ^ Doward, Jamie. "Airports raise global safety levels after terror attack on US jet is foiled; Police search London address as bomber suspect is revealed to have links to al-Qaida" The Guardian, December 27, 2009. Retrieved December 27, 2009.
86. ^ Spencer, Richard. "Detroit terror attack: Yemen is the true home of Al-Qaeda; The Detroit airline bomb plot was planned in the land of bin Laden's ancestors", The Telegraph, December 28, 2009. Retrieved December 28, 2009.
87. ^ Spillius, Alex. "Al-Qaeda warned of imminent bomb attack", The Telegraph, December 28, 2009. Retrieved December 28, 2009.
88. ^ Allen, Nick. "Detroit: British student in al-Qaeda airline bomb attempt" The Telegraph, December 25, 2009. Retrieved December 26, 2009.
89. ^ Esposito, Richard; and Ross, Brian. "Officials: Only A Failed Detonator Saved Northwest Flight; Screening Machines May Need to Be Replaced; Al Qaeda Aware of 'Achilles heel'" ABC News, December 26, 2009. Retrieved December 26, 2009.
90. ^ Preddy, Melissa, "Nigerian with 'Al Qaeda ties' tries to blow up US jet" AFP, December 26, 2009. Retrieved December 27, 2009.
91. ^ "Terrorist Attempt on Detroit-Bound Plane Puts Airports on Alert"^{[dead link]} Business Week, December 26, 2009. Retrieved December 26, 2009.
92. ^ Warrick, Joby; and Nakashima, Ellen. "Family of airplane suspect had raised concerns about him" The Washington Post, December 27, 2009. Retrieved December 27, 2009.
93. ^ "Nigerian man charged in Christmas airliner attack", Austin American-Statesman, December 27, 2009. Retrieved December 27, 2009.
94. ^ Leppard , David. MI5 knew of Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab's UK extremist links. The Sunday Times. January 3, 2010 [cited January 2, 2010].
95. ^ Pendlebury, Richard, "How a middle-class Nigerian boy was seduced by Al Qaeda into trying to blow up a transatlantic jet," The Daily Mail, January 2, 2010, accessed January 2, 2010
96. ^ Herridge, Catherine. "Investigators Recover SIM Cards During Searches of Homes Tied to Abdulmutallab", Fox News, December 28, 2009. Retrieved December 28, 2009.
97. ^ Khalid Mahmood's false claims increase risk of Islamophobic attacks on North London Central Mosque. [cited August 13, 2010]. North London Central Mosque.
98. ^ "Did Abdulmutallab Meet Radical Cleric?; American-Born Imam Anwar Al-Awlaki Already Linked to Fort Hood Suspect Hasan and Several 9/11 Attackers", CBS News, December 29, 2009. Retrieved December 29, 2009.
99. ^ Sunday Telegraph removes article. [cited August 13, 2010]. East London Mosque.
100. ^ Almond, Mark. Al Qaeda terror plot that was born in Africa. Daily Mail. December 27, 2009 [cited February 28, 2010]. Associated Newspapers.
101. ^ Orr, Bob, "Al-Awlaki May Be Al Qaeda Recruiter," CBS News, December 30, 2009, accessed December 31, 2009
102. ^ Johnson, Carrie; DeYoung, Karen; and Kornblut, Anne E. "Obama vows to repair intelligence gaps behind Detroit airplane incident", The Washington Post, December 30, 2009. Retrieved December 30, 2009.
103. ^ DeYoung, Karen, "Obama to get report on intelligence failures in Abdulmutallab case," The Washington Post, December 31, 2009, accessed December 31, 2009
104. ^ Hilder, James, "Double life of 'gifted and polite' terror suspect Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab", The Times, January 1, 2010. Retrieved January 1, 2010.
105. ^ O'Neil, Sean. "Our false sense of security should end here: al-Qaeda never went away", The Times, December 28, 2009. Retrieved December 28, 2009.
106. ^ Meyer, Josh, "U.S.-born cleric linked to airline bombing plot; FBI and intelligence officials say Anwar al Awlaki, a cleric in Yemen with a popular jihadist website and ties to September 11 hijackers, may have had a role in the attempted bombing", Los Angeles Times, December 31, 2009, accessed December 31, 2009]
107. ^ Raghavan, Sudarsan,"Yemen links accused jet bomber, radical cleric", St. Petersburg Times, January 1, 2010. Retrieved January 2, 2010.
108. ^ "Yemen eyes Abdulmutallab-cleric link", UPI, December 31, 2009. Retrieved January 1, 2009.
109. ^ CNN Wire Staff. American-born cleric appears in al Qaeda video. April 27, 2010 [cited May 12, 2010]. CNN.com.
110. ^ Isikoff, Michael; Exclusive: Yemeni Journalist Says Awlaki Alive, Well, Defiant Newsweek.com, Declassified; posted and accessed December 29, 2009.
111. ^ Worth, Robert F., "Cleric in Yemen Admits Meeting Airliner Plot Suspect, Journalist Says," The New York Times, January 31, 2010, accessed January 31, 2010
112. ^ RAW DATA: "Partial Transcript of Radical Cleric's Tape", Fox News, March 18, 2010, accessed March 21, 2010. March 18, 2010 [cited April 13, 2010]. Foxnews.com.
113. ^ "U.S. Approves Targeted Killing of American Cleric", April 6, 2010. Retrieved April 6, 2010.
114. ^ Daily News Staff Writers. U.S. officials investigating how Abdulmutallab boarded Flight 253 as more missed red flags surface. January 3, 2009 [cited January 3, 2010].
115. ^ Prisonplanet.com. BOMBSHELL: Evidence Clearly Indicates Staged Attack on Detroit Flight; December 29, 2009 [cited 2010-09-07].
116. ^ Alex Jones, et. al.. Prison Planet. BOMBSHELL: Evidence Clearly Indicates Staged Attack on Detroit Flight [YouTube video]; December 28, 2009 [cited September 7, 2010].
117. ^ http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/index.ssf/2009/12/commenter_says_he_was_aboard_n.html
118. ^ Mizrahi, Hagar. "Dutch passenger thwarted terror attack on plane", Israel News, December 27, 2009.
119. ^ How Nigerian attempted to blow up plane in US, Vanguard, December 27, 2009.
120. ^ ^{a b} Abdulmutallab faces life in prison for Flight 253 plot. January 7, 2010. Detroit Free Press.^{[dead link]}
121. ^ The NEFA Foundation. The PETN Underwear Bomb.
122. ^ Malcolm W. Browne. Readily Available, PETN Is Easily Molded and Hidden. August 23, 1996 [cited January 11, 2010].
123. ^ Jsu, Spencer, S., "Equipment to detect explosives is available," ''The Washington Post'', December 28, 2009, accessed January 9, 2010. December 28, 2009 [cited April 13, 2010]. Washingtonpost.com.
124. ^ Paperny, Anna Mehler. Foiled attack on U.S. plane leaves airport chaos in its wake. December 29, 2009 [cited April 13, 2010]. The Globe and Mail (UK).
125. ^ ^{a b} Krolicki, Kevin; and Jeremy Pelofsky. "Nigerian charged for trying to blow up U.S. airliner", Reuters, December 26, 2009.
126. ^ Harry Siegel & Carol E. Lee. 'High explosive' – U.S. charges Abdulmutallab. December 25, 2009 [cited January 17, 2010].
127. ^ Peter Spiegel. Al Qaeda Takes Credit for Plot. December 29, 2009 [cited December 30, 2009].
128. ^ Wayne County EMS Run Report 11/4981. NEFA Foundation. December 25, 2009 [cited February 7, 2010].
129. ^ Woodall, Bernie. Update 1-Hearing canceled for Detroit plane bomb suspect. December 28, 2009 [cited December 28, 2009]. Reuters.
130. ^ ^{a b} "Inmate Locator Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab." Federal Bureau of Prisons. Retrieved on December 29, 2009.
131. ^ New Restrictions Quickly Added for Air Passengers. New York Times. December 26, 2009 [cited January 24, 2010].
132. ^ ^{a b} Security System Failed, Napolitano Acknowledges. New York Times. December 28, 2009.
133. ^ Obama Faults 'Systemic Failure in U.S. Security. The Caucus Blog. December 29, 2009. The New York Times.
134. ^ Lieberman: The United States Must Pre-Emptively Act In Yemen. December 27, 2009 [24, 2010 archived January 25, 2010]. Huffington Post. "In his appearance on 'Fox News Sunday', Lieberman also argued that the botched attack should compel the Obama administration to abandon efforts to transfer suspected-terrorists out of the holding facility at Guantanamo Bay, saying that the complex is now well above international standards."
135. ^ Bomb plot complicates Gitmo plan. [27, 2009 archived December 27, 2009]. Politico-. ""They should stay there. They should not go back to Yemen," hoekstra said. 'If they go back to Yemen, we will very soon find them back on the battlefield going after americans and other western interests.'"
136. ^ Following Path of Least Resistance, Terrorists Turn Yemen Into Poor Man's Afghanistan. December 27, 2009 [27, 2009 archived December 27, 2009]. Fox News. ""They should stay there. They should not go back to Yemen," hoekstra said. 'If they go back to Yemen, we will very soon find them back on the battlefield going after americans and other western interests.'"
137. ^ Gitmo transfer to Yemen in doubt. December 27, 2009 [27, 2009 archived December 27, 2009]. United Press International. "'I'd, at a minimum, say that whatever we were about to do we'd at least have to scrub (those plans) again from top to bottom,' said House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson, D-Miss."
138. ^ Sudeep Reddy. Lawmakers Focus on Yemen in Wake of Attempted Bombing. December 27, 2009 [27, 2009 archived December 27, 2009]. Wall Street Journal Blogs. "The 23-year-old suspect in the botched attack, Umar Farouk Abdulmuttalab of Nigeria, allegedly told U.S. officials that he received his explosive device in Yemen and learned to use it there."
139. ^ Homeland.house.gov. Committee on Homeland Security; January 27, 2010 [cited April 13, 2010].
140. ^ Detnews.com | This article is no longer available online | detnews.com | The Detroit News
141. ^ Sotal Iraq "Christmas Day Plot Yet Another Case of 'Terrorism on Demand'"
142. ^ Ad Dustour, Jordan "Christmas Day Terror Plot Looks Like a Set-Up"
143. ^ Daily Independent, Nigeria "After U.S. Terror Scare, Nigerians are Being 'Unduly Stigmatized'"
144. ^ Christmas Plane Bomb Suspect Indicted by U.S. Grand Jury. January 6, 2010. Fox News.
145. ^ The E.W. Scripps Co. Terror Suspect Arraigned in Hospital; December 26, 2009 [cited December 26, 2009].^{[dead link]}
146. ^ "Minutes Of A Regular Meeting Of The Milan City Council Held On December 7, 2009 At 7:30 P.M. In The Council Chambers, Milan City Hall, 147 Wabash Street, Milan, Michigan, 48160." City of Milan. Minutes approved December 7, 2009. Retrieved on January 5, 2010. "The City has a ten year agreement through the General Services Administration (GSA) to provide utility services to the Federal Corrections Institute and the Federal Detention Center, located in York Township, which expired September 30."
147. ^ Lieberman rips FBI on Miranda rights. January 25, 2010 [cited February 3, 2010]. Politico.
148. ^ White House reveals secret cooperation with AbdulMutallab family. February 3, 2010 [cited February 3, 2010]. CNN.com.
149. ^ Associated Press. Michigan: Man Accused in Bomb Plot is Allowed to Be His Own Lawyer. September 13, 2010 [cited December 13, 2010]. New York Times.

[edit] External links

	Nigeria portal
	Terrorism portal
	Biography portal

• Criminal Complaint and Affidavit for U.S. v. Abdulmutallab, December 25, 2009
• Indictment in U.S. v. Abdulmutallab, January 6, 2010
• Justin Raimondo. The Well-Dressed Man on Flight 253. Antiwar.com, February 3, 2010.
• Roey Rosenblith. Over Detroit Skies: A first hand passenger account of Flight 253. Huffington Post, December 27, 2009.

Persondata
Name	Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab
Alternative names
Short description	Flight 253 bomber
Date of birth	December 22, 1986
Place of birth	Lagos, Nigeria
Date of death
Place of death

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umar_Farouk_Abdulmutallab"

Categories: 1986 births | Living people | Al-Qaeda members | Al-Qaeda bombers | Alumni of University College London | Nigerian expatriates in the United Kingdom | Nigerian Islamists | People from Lagos (city) | Perpetrators of religiously motivated violence in the United States | Failed terrorist attempts | People from Lomé | People from Kaduna | People from Sana'a | People from London | Nigerian prisoners and detainees | Prisoners and detainees of the United States federal government | Anwar al-Awlaki | Islamist terrorism in the United States