New York:
A suspected Nigerian Al-Qaida operative on Saturday made an attempt to blow up a US airliner in air, but was over-powered by alert passengers, averting what could have been a devastating Christmas Day terror attack.
The passenger Umar Farouk Abdul Mudallab, an engineering student in London, tried to ignite an incendiary device aboard the Northwest Airlines flight 253, an Airbus 330, carrying 278 passengers from Amsterdam to Detroit, in what was described as an "attempted act of terrorism" by the White House.
The man, 23, who sustained burn injuries in the failed bid, later reportedly told interrogators that explosive powder was taped to his leg and he used a syringe to inject chemicals into it to cause an explosion on the trans-Atlantic flight.
However, the device mal-functioned and as smoke and fire erupted from his seat, co-passengers pounced on him and along with the crew dragged him to the front of the plane.
Two other passengers reported minor injuries, but the plane was able to land safely.
Muttalab, who is being questioned by FBI and other federal investigative agencies has reportedly said he had links to Al-Qaida and that he had travelled to Yemen "to collect the incendiary device and instructions on how to use it," said The Washington Post.
US President Obama has ordered increased security in the US after the terror bid on board the Northwest airlines flight travelling from Amsterdam to Detroit was foiled.
US Homeland Security has confirmed that the arrested man has links with the Al-Qaida. His name appeared in a database of possible terrorist suspects.
"He does have definite terrorist connections. So he does have definite Al-Qaida links, there's no doubt about that, that came up immediately once his name was learned. The President has put a directive to ensure that everything is being done to guarantee there is no other plot out there or that this was not part of a larger plot," said Peter King, Ranking Member of the Homeland Security Committee. (With PTI inputs)
The passenger Umar Farouk Abdul Mudallab, an engineering student in London, tried to ignite an incendiary device aboard the Northwest Airlines flight 253, an Airbus 330, carrying 278 passengers from Amsterdam to Detroit, in what was described as an "attempted act of terrorism" by the White House.
The man, 23, who sustained burn injuries in the failed bid, later reportedly told interrogators that explosive powder was taped to his leg and he used a syringe to inject chemicals into it to cause an explosion on the trans-Atlantic flight.
However, the device mal-functioned and as smoke and fire erupted from his seat, co-passengers pounced on him and along with the crew dragged him to the front of the plane.
Two other passengers reported minor injuries, but the plane was able to land safely.
Muttalab, who is being questioned by FBI and other federal investigative agencies has reportedly said he had links to Al-Qaida and that he had travelled to Yemen "to collect the incendiary device and instructions on how to use it," said The Washington Post.
US President Obama has ordered increased security in the US after the terror bid on board the Northwest airlines flight travelling from Amsterdam to Detroit was foiled.
US Homeland Security has confirmed that the arrested man has links with the Al-Qaida. His name appeared in a database of possible terrorist suspects.
"He does have definite terrorist connections. So he does have definite Al-Qaida links, there's no doubt about that, that came up immediately once his name was learned. The President has put a directive to ensure that everything is being done to guarantee there is no other plot out there or that this was not part of a larger plot," said Peter King, Ranking Member of the Homeland Security Committee. (With PTI inputs)
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