Failed Attack Signals New Threat?

(CBS/AP)  U.S. counterterrorism officials are scrambling to assess a potential new threat from an explosive mixture that evaded detection aboard a Detroit-bound airliner but .

The suspect, identified by multiple law enforcement officials as a Nigerian man named Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, claimed to have ties to al Qaeda. But while investigators try to determine the veracity of his claims, they also want to figure out exactly how the explosive device was made - and how much of a broader threat it may pose to air security.

A high-ranking law enforcement official told CBS News that the suspect apparently used a syringe to inject a chemical into powder - - located near his groin, a technique not seen in previous attempted attacks. It's possible, the source said, that this incident was a test of whether the materials could pass screening and how effective they might be at causing damage.

In 2006, investigators in London uncovered a plot to use liquid-based explosives disguised in drink bottles to blow up airliners. The case prompted new restrictions on passengers carrying beverages or other liquids.

Now investigators are trying to determine whether the rules need to be tightened again, concerned that the components of the explosive device were smuggled onto the plane despite technological advances in screening and detection.

"It raises some serious questions, such as how was this person able to bring an explosive substance aboard a commercial airliner?" said Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, the senior Republican on the Senate Homeland Security Committee.

The explosive material burned but apparently did not produce enough of an explosion or fire to bring down the Airbus 330 carrying 278 passengers and a crew of 11.

More Coverage from CBSNews.com:

Official: U.S. Knew of Suspect for 2 Years
U.S. Bolsters Security after Bomb Attack
Report: Father Warned of Bomb Suspect Son
Official: Explosive PETN Used in Attack
Jasper Schuringa ID'd as Flight 253 Hero
Failed Attack Signals New Threat?
Safety in the Air
Fight 253 Terror Scare
Obama Monitors 'Terror' Attempt

The incident marks the first time someone onboard a U.S. plane had sought to detonate a bomb since Richard Reid hid explosives in his shoes on a trans-Atlantic flight on Dec. 22, 2001 - almost exactly eight years before the newest incident. Reid is currently serving a life sentence.

In Friday's case in Detroit, no charges were filed immediately against the suspect, who was taken to a hospital with burns to his legs.

Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., ranking GOP member of the House Homeland Security Committee, said the flight began in Nigeria and went through Amsterdam en route to Detroit.

One law enforcement official, also speaking on condition of anonymity in order to discuss the case, said Abdulmutallab's name had surfaced earlier on at least one U.S. intelligence database, but not to the extent that he was placed on a watch list or a no-fly list.

Mutallab also had "significant UK links" and was "most probably radicalized" there, a British counter-terrorism official told CBS News.

In a bare-bones statement about the incident, Delta, which is acquiring Northwest, said the passenger caused a disturbance, was subdued, and the crew requested law enforcement meet the flight.

Law enforcement officials said they had no preholiday intelligence indicating this type of attack was in the works.

The FBI and the Homeland Security Department issued an intelligence note on Nov. 20 about the threat picture for the 2009 holiday season from Thanksgiving through Jan. 1. At the time, intelligence officials said they had no specific information about attack plans by al Qaeda or other terrorist groups. The intelligence note was obtained by The Associated Press.

President Barack Obama was notified of the incident and discussed it with security officials, the White House said. Officials said he was monitoring the situation and receiving regular updates from his vacation spot in Hawaii.

The White House was coordinating briefings for the president through the Homeland Security Department, the Transportation Security Administration and the FBI.

Federal officials said there would be heightened security for both domestic and international flights at airports across the country, but the intensified levels likely would be "layered," differing from location to location depending on alerts, security concerns and other factors.

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano also was closely monitoring the situation.

The department encouraged travelers to be observant and aware of their surroundings and report any suspicious behavior to law enforcement officials.

[P0STING_AWAY]

by armyoftwelve December 27, 2009 10:39 AM EST
You got one thing right, al-qaida and others have been attacking the US since the CLINTON presidency and Clinton did NOTHING!!! In fact, if anything enabled these nuts it was Clinton inaction...
=======================================================
An armyoftwelve ..... commanded by a BRAIN_OF_ZERO ....

[armyoftwelve]

This isn't a new threat, it is just the latest outrage caused by a very OLD problem. Islamic fundamentalism was a fact of life in muslim-occupied Iberia 700 years ago.

[P0STING_AWAY]

by ALBrainTrust10 December 27, 2009 9:31 AM EST
YOU MAKE AN EXCELLENT POINT.... Let's make sure we fight/kill/capture/destroy any Islamic Radical anywhere on the planet!
=====================================================
Let's N-O-T.
fighting/killing/etc guarantees only ONE thing - more
fighting/killing/etc.
It seems that ALBrainTrust #10 is no wiser that
#1 thru #9 .......

[roadracer9x]

As someone who travels extensively both in the US and overseas, I put a lot of the blame on security officials in foreign countries. I have found security at foreign airports in general to be far more lax than the US with the notable exception of Israel. I have seen foreign security employees paying less attention to their jobs and more time talking to each other. We need to have US security personnel monitoring all flight to the US from overseas at their point of departure. This is just my personal observation from the countries I have visited.

[Howellstephen75]

This man's father went to the US embassy and told them his son was a terrorist, but his visa was not revoked and he was not put on the "do not fly list". This just shows how absolutely neutered our government is! These are the same people that are trying to take over 1/6 of the U.S. economy in Health Care. Do we really want them doing that. In the final analysis it was the people on the plane who had to take care of themselves. Just like on 9/11 people had to fend for themselves. Our government is off chasing rabbits taking down countries like Iraq who did nothing to us and Afghanistan that is nothing but one big black whole while all the time Al quaida is moving to Yemen....All we needed was better security for our ports and realistic security for our aircraft, but noooooooooo.....WHY THE HECK ARE THESE MUSLIMS WITH VISAS STILL IN THIS COUNTRY!!!!!!!! Until we get them outta here none of us will be safe.....I AM SICK TO MY STOMACH OF THIS IGNORANT POLITICAL CORRECTNESS......

[melchg07]

We will never be 100% safe bud. Live your life in fear.

BTW most muslims are harmless people and are just like the average american.....ever hear of the unibomber? White guy......you gonna denounce every white person out there?....didn't think so.

I find it kind of funny that you are denouncing the US government......you know......the ones trying to put restrictions/precautions in place to prevent it in the first place. Way to bring up healthcare into the mix....like the two are even on the same playing field.

However it does make a person wonder how this assjack got on a plane in the first place with being known about in the first place.

Perhaps an insider at the airports overseas? Just food for thought.

[bradkt1]

New threats require new and novel solutions and I saw a post on another site that was inspiring...make everyone fly naked.

There would be no excess wandering the aisles, no concealed weapons or explosives and no excess macho ponitficating by these armchair patriots...most of whom will be exposed as being "inadequately armed." No wonder they go on about the Second Amendment and wearing firearms everywhere they go. They're in need of bigger and longer guns.

And then there might be an extra side benefit. I know a few wonen who would go for this...

...all for security reasons, of course.

[ludvig1-2009]

It was only a few weeks ago where I read that an AlQuaeda supposed deserter in Saudi Arabia met with the Saudi head of anti-terror and made a phone call to tell another AlQuaeda that he was with the minister so a bomb hidden in his rectum could be detonated. That's probably how he got it on the plane since he spent 20 minutes in the restroom.

[Fatesrider]

And now, for the backlash. I believe Air Canada has instituted a policy where no one can leave their seat or have anything in their lap - including laptops and pillows - for the last hour of a flight. Additionally, they won't allow anyone access to carry-ons while in flight. (I know it's one of the major airlines). Once this spreads to the other airlines in a knee-jerk over-reaction to a minimal threat, I'd say that going by air will be even less attractive than it already is.

Simple solution: Don't seat anyone alone. Don't allow anyone to sit alone.

The passengers, AGAIN, interrupted the would-be terrorist. I expect if you're sitting next to someone who starts doing strange things in his/her lap, you're probably going to notice and mention it.

Problem solved.

[ffoulkes-2009]

I am thinking it depends on what TYPE of strange things he/she is doing in his/her lap........

[fdunn3]

Ahh the "War on Terrorism", have the Right-Wing blow hards forgotten that this so called "War on Terrorism" has been going on many years before 9/11 but Bush and his gang of cronies turned it into a means of bypassing the Constitution and financed his personal wars out of the general funds even though the constitution states that any war funding MUST be approved by the Legislators no longer than 6 months after the start of the "war". Oh but GW preferred not to call it a war until he was on the podium.
Do none of of you dim wit Right Wingers remember the terrorism that came from Libya in the 1980's? They blew a plane out of the sky but the current Administration did not decide to take our Constitutional rights away and turn a Democracy into an Imperial Government with King George (really King Cheney, as King George was clueless. Don't take my word for it just ask the rest of our Allies.).

Obama may not be on track to deliver all of what he promised but at least we have good relationships with our Allies that 'W', Dick, and Rummy trashed during their tenure.


BTW: The Homeland Security and Intelligence services of the United States are a joke, now and in the past. We just got a warning from Al Queda that they were about to return the favor for killing 14 of their top eschelon and what did Homeland security do about it? Nothing, but that has nothing to do with Obama as he only get the intelligence (what a joke) that the Senior Intelligence Analysts feel is a threat.

Oh and all you republican congress and senate members that are complaining about the deficit and Obama not including the cost of 'W's personal wars in the budget...You must have short memories as 'W' never did either but you didn't complain then because if anybody complained about how the Bush Administration was performing poorly then they were automatically branded as Un-American.

If anybody is Un American it is the extreme Right Wing Republicans who always have negative criticism but no ideas of their own, starting with the DisHonorable Sen. John Cornyn.

Get our troops out of Iraq and Afghanistan now!

[infantryman1968]

as the terroist chant.......

Yes We Can,Yes We Can,Yes We Can,Yes We Can,Yes We Can,.......

[askagain]

Another idiot turning a foreign terrorist attempt into a diatribe against the Bush administration. Crying over spilled milk isn't going to solve our security problems. Isn't it great how some people use every opportunity to blame President Bush, President Obama, or the government for every security breach?

[ALBrainTrust10]

"Failed Attack Signals New Threat?".......R U kidding? The threat has been there since before 9/11......G.W. BUSH WAS RIDICULED FOR TALKING ABOUT THE "TERRORISTS".....

The threats are all of one origin....RADICAL ISLAM.

Time to really start profiling on that basis.