By LARRY MARGASAK and LARA JAKES and JIM IRWIN, Associated Press Writers Larry Margasak And Lara Jakes And Jim Irwin, Associated Press Writers – 37 mins ago
DETROIT – A Northwest Airlines passenger from Nigeria, who said he was acting on al-Qaida's instructions, set off an explosive device Friday in a failed terrorist attack on the plane as it was landing in Detroit, federal officials said.
Flight 253 with 278 passengers aboard was 20 minutes from the airport when it sounded like a firecracker had exploded, witnesses said. One passenger jumped over others and tried to subdue the man. Shortly afterward, the suspect was taken to a front row seat with his pants cut off and his legs burned.
The White House said it believed it was an attempted act of terrorism and stricter security measures were quickly imposed on airline travel, but were not specified. Law enforcement officials identified the suspect as Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab. Others had slightly different spellings.
One law enforcement source said the man claimed to have been instructed by al-Qaida to detonate the plane over U.S. soil. "It sounded like a firecracker in a pillowcase," said Peter Smith, a passenger from the Netherlands. "First there was a pop, and then (there) was smoke."
At least one passenger acted heroically. Smith said the passenger, sitting opposite the man, climbed over passengers, went across the aisle and tried to restrain the man. The heroic passenger appeared to have been burned.
Isac's Comment;
When this kind of drama is going to be end? What worries me, there will be an Islamic country that will be invaded due to this incident.
After 11 September, Afghanistan and Iraq was occupied by the US military. Is this is a license to attack Iran, only time will tell......
Salam Bro,
ReplyDeleteGood article but what or which licence do US need to occupied or attack other countries? They have got a licence - licence to kill ~ bRAVEhEART