BREAKING: Terrorist Fails Bombing of Northwest Flight

According to a Wall Street Journal Report, a passenger on a Detroit-bound Northwest Airlines flight tried Friday to detonate an explosive device strapped to his leg and later told investigators he had affiliations with al Qaeda and was trying to blow up the plane, according to a senior U.S. official.

The suspect told investigators he was given the device by al Qaeda operatives in Yemen, along with detonation instructions, the official said.  Rep. Peter King (R., N.Y.) identified the man as a 23-year-old Nigerian named Abdul Mudallad.

Officials said they believed the man boarded a KLM flight in Lagos, Nigeria, and changed planes in Amsterdam.  The suspect’s name didn’t appear on any terrorist watch lists maintained by U.S. authorities, Mr. King said, but it turned up “hot” in other terrorism-related databases maintained by intelligence officials.  [Read More]