U.S. Failed to Catch Suspect's Active Visa

(CBS)  By CBS News chief investigative correspondent Armen Keteyian.

CBS News has learned the State Department system designed to keep track of active U.S. visas twice failed to reveal Nigerian terror suspect Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab had been issued an active visa allowing him multiple entries into the United States.

According to a law enforcement source, the first failure came on Nov. 19, 2009, the very same day Abdulmutallab father's, Dr. Umaru Mutallab, a prominent banking official in Nigeria, expressed deep concern to officials at the U.S. Embassy in Abjua, Nigeria, that his 23-year-old son had fallen under the influence of "religious extremists" in Yemen.

The second failure to flag an active visa belonging to Abdulmuttalab occurred the very next day in Washington, after Mutallab's concerns were forwarded to officials there. It was only after the Christmas Day terror attack in Detroit that U.S. officials learned that Abdulmuttalab had been issued a visa by the U.S. Embassy in London valid from June 16, 2008, through June 12, 2010.

More Coverage from CBSNews.com:

Al Qaeda: We Planned Flight 253 Bombing
Officials: In-Flight Restrictions Eased
Tracing Bomb Suspect's Journey to Detroit
Expert: New Security Steps a Smokescreen
Al Qaeda's Yemen Branch Rising in Stature
Many Questions, Few Answers in Terror Case
U.S. Failed to Catch Suspect's Active Visa
Abdulmutallab Shocks Family, Friends
Would-Be Bomber Used Powerful Explosive
Who Is Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab?
Tightening Security in U.S.
©2009 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved

[lami987]

Responsible government employees in the State Dept and elsewhere must be fired for failing to even know a US visa was issued to the suspect. Can dogs detect the explosive if they were used in the airport gates where the suspect boarded the planes? Someday bomb will be implanted into terrorist's body and make detection a lot more difficult.

[nasadawg]

yes, these are the same people that can't handle 100,000 visa apps. but they can handle 35 million people on health care.

We are so screwed....

[TXcardplayer]

JANET NAPO IS ABOUT 5 LEVELS ABOVE HER QUALIFICATIONS AND NEEDS TO BE LET GO.OR MOVING TO A LOW LEVEL PAPER PUSHING JOB- CERTAINLY NOTHING THAT HAVE TO DO WITH SPENDING MONEY SINCE SHE RAN ARIZONA CLOSE OR INTO THE GROUND HER LAST 2 YRS WHILE CAMPAIGNING AND KISSING UP TO OBAMA HOWEVER THE PREZ. IS ABOUT 10 LEVELS ABOVE HIS PAYGRADE AND WE CAN'T GET HIM TO MAKE A GOOD DECISION WITHOUT TAKING 3 MONTHS SO WHO KNOWS HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL DIE IN BETWEEN. HE SHOWED UP FOR 2 YRS AS A SENATOR WITH 80% "PRESENT" VOTES - SO WHY ARE WE SURPRISED !!!!! HE WANTS TO GIVE TERRORIST EXTREME JIHADISTS THERE RIGHTS AND A CHANCE TO LAWYER UP - CLOSE GITMO- AND HAVE A SHOW TRIAL IN NY - THIS ADMIN IS A SHAM AND EMBRASSING TO SAY THE LEAST. THIS MAN SHOULD NEVER HAVE GOTTEN A VISA AND HEADS SHOULD ROLL......SHOULD THEY PROFILE-? HELL YEAH THEY SHOULD - IT S RESONABLE AND IT'S THE WAY CRIMINALS ARE CAUGHT - IF THE LIBERAL BAFOONS WANT TO GET ON THOSE PLANES WITH THESE EXTREMIST FINE - BUT I SURE AS HELL DON'T WANT TOO.

[brianbwb-2009]

"...the first failure came on Nov. 19, 2009, the very same day Abdulmutallab father?s, Dr. Umaru Mutallab, a prominent banking official in Nigeria, expressed deep concern to officials at the U.S. Embassy in Abjua, Nigeria, that his 23-year-old son had fallen under the influence of "religious extremists" in Yemen...."

This is not only normal, but is to be expected. My own personal experiences with US embassies around the world enlightened me long ago that those posts are peopled with the worst of American arrogance and racism.

As so often happens as to be considered S.O.P., a local person in a non- European country, who is highly educated, and with an important place in local society, is regarded as just another n-word, and ignored by the arrogant excuses for humanity "representing" the US.

What more, the man was willing to turn in his own son. Bet he knows better now.

The US State Dept, is rife with the cronies, sons and daughters of ex-Dixiecrats, current Neoconderthals, and the arrogant, corrupt slime at the bottoms of all barrels. It is generally common knowledge that they are not at all to be trusted, either by the locals, or by the citizens and expats of the country they are supposed to represent.

I learned my lesson at the Paul Wolfowitz-run US embassy in Indonesia, their reneging on agreements (and the attitude they showed while doing it)cost me at least USD $2,500, and temporarily set back my work building a viable business presence there.

I made myself a promise, to never again lift a finger in aid of a US embassy.

[brianbwb-2009]

"...the first failure came on Nov. 19, 2009, the very same day Abdulmutallab father?s, Dr. Umaru Mutallab, a prominent banking official in Nigeria, expressed deep concern to officials at the U.S. Embassy in Abjua, Nigeria, that his 23-year-old son had fallen under the influence of "religious extremists" in Yemen...."

This is not only normal, but is to be expected. My own personal experiences with US embassies around the world enlightened me long ago that those posts are peopled with the worst of American arrogance and racism.

As so often happens as to be considered S.O.P., a local person in a non- European country, who is highly educated, and with an important place in local society, is regarded as just another n-word, and ignored by the arrogant excuses for humanity "representing" the US.

What more, the man was willing to turn in his own son. Bet he knows better now.

The US State Dept, is rife with the cronies, sons and daughters of ex-Dixiecrats, current Neoconderthals, and the arrogant, corrupt slime at the bottoms of all barrels. It is generally common knowledge that they are not at all to be trusted, either by the locals, or by the citizens and expats of the country they are supposed to represent.

I learned my lesson at the Paul Wolfowitz-run US embassy in Indonesia, their reneging on agreements (and the attitude they showed while doing it)cost me at least USD $2,500, and temporarily set back my work building a viable business presence there.

I made myself a promise, to never again lift a finger in aid of a US embassy.

[nowhiningallowed]

There are many residing in this country on expired visas. These individuals know they're breaking the law but don't really care. That's a big part of the problem with issuing visas. We have no way or reasonably tracking them and making sure dates haven't expired. An easy solution would be to permanently stop issuing visas to anyone, especially for those in countries like Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, etc. who wish to come here for so-called educational or political refugee reasons.

[rickwar]

"by monitutonka December 28, 2009 2:38 PM EST
Yes, eventhough this incident happened almost a year after Bush left office, he is still getting the blame. I suppose that if a toilet backs up in the White House TODAY, it will be Bush's fault. When will you guys wakeup and smell the BS!!!!!"

Stop defending the idiots that CREATED the system that allowed this and didn't provide the funds or the know how for proper identification.

We woke up and smelled the BS well over a year ago and elected someone different. The Republicans and far right haven't figured that out yet. The trappings that Bush and his idiots put into place after 9/11 created more problems than they solved.

In addition, in case you haven't figured out how government works, we are still running under Georges' last budget and programs, won't be able to change much until we get past that.

Who was the U.S. President on June 16, 2008? George Bush, who approved this visa? The Bush administration and some low level clerk who didn't take the time to check it out.

So, when the toilet backs up, like it just did, where does the the glue stick? George Bush.

[cbs_tom]

You're in denial. This person was indeed given a visa o Bush's watch. However, he was a new engineering student with no reason to deny. After, President Obama was in office, he came to the attention of the brits as well as the US. I don't blame Obama on this. But if you want to point fingers, they're on the current admin.

[portia_vz]

I'm disappointed with the way this story was written. Nowhere does the reporter detail the steps necessary for tracking or revoking an active visa. If it were as easy as the reporter suggests, ie having someone who claims to be a person's father calling in with information, then no visa holder would be safe from potentially false accusations. Presumably, the State department has an obligation to make sure the accusations are well founded before revoking a visa.
If any of us were flying to another country for a conference, for example, wouldn't we want the opportunity to clear our names before we were denied entry? You can fault the system for being slow. You can fault the bureaucracy for too much protocol. But you can't fault it for wanting to check things out first before pulling a visa.

[from_the_north]

I wonder how much he paid for his multi-entry visa? These things are hard to get.

[larsz-2009]

A multientry visa is not hard to get. I have one for almost 20 years now and last time my passport expired i just sent new passport to US embassy and got it renewed. Didn´t have to bribe anyone and just paid a small fee and postage.

You should be asking how someone on a watchlist can obtain one. Wjar is Homeland security and INS doing and what kind of systems are US embassies around the world using when they can miss something like this??

[brianbwb-2009]

To larsz-2009

Depends on what country you are from.

Try being from an African, or Asian country (other than Japan).

You wouldn't stand a chance of getting a visa, unless AFTER you have shown that you are a property owner, with a permanent local job for more than two years, and a references from a US entity verifying your relationship, then the ignorant savages working for the US embassy MAY decide that Amerikka can tolerate one more non-"White".

If you are from a "White" country, all you have to do is show your round trip ticket.

This attitude will be the next entry point for those seeking to do damage, simply send a "White" sympathizer, they will get through with little or no check whatsoever.

[infantryman1968]

U.S. Failed to Catch Suspect's Active Visa
Exclusive: 2 State Dept. Checks Before Alleged Terror Attack Didn't Discover Abdulmutallab had Active Visa Allowing Entry


Does this mean we can go back to Profiling Terroist again?