Failed Terror attack onboard Delta/Northwest

[alma343]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/8430699.stm

Thank god that the Bomb didn't explode properly.

[Dennis]

It's too bad we didn't get a picture of the suspect. I'd have submitted his picture to failblog.org for being a terrorist wannabe.

All things aside, I for one am a little irked with news channels. I mean, OK. So the terrorist plot was foiled. Is it really necessary to spend ALL Christmas day covering the event? It was foiled, no one was hurt, the plane was not damaged. That's it. That's why panics spread quickly.

[Northwestdc9]

Guess what? They're still covering it 24/7 on all the cable news networks (CNN, etc).

Very glad nothing went horribly wrong. The passenger that took him down, is a hero and the terrorist FAILS.

[a.trailblazer7]

It's too bad we didn't get a picture of the suspect. I'd have submitted his picture to failblog.org for being a terrorist wannabe.

All things aside, I for one am a little irked with news channels. I mean, OK. So the terrorist plot was foiled. Is it really necessary to spend ALL Christmas day covering the event? It was foiled, no one was hurt, the plane was not damaged. That's it. That's why panics spread quickly.

http://www.sphere.com/nc/article/bomb-s ... 2F19295067
Here's a link to AOL news page, pic and info on terrorist. Not a bright lookin fellow

[detpilot]

They're saying that his detonator simply failed to work. If it had worked as planned, no amount of heroism from the passengers near him would have mattered. I'd say all of those passengers are very blessed to still be among us...

[RatherBFlyin]

Lots of rumors going on now about enhanced security measures.

http://consumerist.com/2009/12/next-tim ... rless.html

So far the TSA has not been very forthcoming about how they have stepped up security, which is somewhat understandable, but I'm not sure things are going to be quite as bad as everyone seems to think. Can any of our members that are more closely involved with the airlines talk about any new requirements being passed down from the TSA?

http://www.tsa.gov/press/happenings/dec25_guidance.shtm

[seahawks7757]

I can tell you that in LWS today they were patting every passenger down and very rude. I mean typically they are rude but even worse then norm.

[RatherBFlyin]

It sounds as though the TSA is leaving in-flight security measures up to the airlines to decide whether or not to implement them...

[Northwestdc9]

All the increased security won't do anything, they'll always find another way to get onboard.
The existing security is just reactions to already complete plots, they won't do it the same again.
What an act. Makes us feel safe when really, we're not. Total BS.

[sanins192]

It has come out that the terrorist was on an UK anti-terrorism list of some sort, so it asks the question how was he able to fly through Amsterdam without the authorities knowing anything of this.

[Dennis]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong. I'm gonna take a guess here, but I think it has to do with the UK's opt out on the EU's Criminal Matters, and Schengen Agreement. Since this is more of an individualized threat perceived by the UK (I believe this suspect was on a US watch list, but not a wanted list), the UK was not obliged to divulge this information to other members. Since this is not high enough to be considered NATO material (though it could have been had the explosives detonated successfully), looks as if it was a sort of "this information is mine and for you to not peep into" sort of thing.

Funny to note though, that 2009 started with an almost air disaster and its ending in an almost air disaster...go figure.

[a.trailblazer7]

To tell ya'll the truth...they (TSA, White House) need to be asking the people that fly the most and the ones that will likely take these fools down if anything happens at 30,000ft...the passengers!!!!! They seem to have the BEST way of protecting their fellow passengers. All over the world, Governments want to blame the other, when its their own fault. We know he wasn't bout to get p/u in Nigera, and I thought that each Country had a list or was at least set up w/US on watch list, especially if flight/passenger was coming to US. But thinking bout it, where is a better place to start? A Country thats lax, and knowing you've already went through the joke, when you get to Amsterdam, no worries, slip on through and there you go. Boom.

[Dennis]

In this case, the Netherlands should have done something here. But again, if there's no information available, then the Netherlands wouldn't have been able to do much. TSA is not to blame here since TSA operates in the US (and its territories). If a flight is in US airspace and originated elsewhere, it's not TSA's fault someone slipped through.

However, if the US HAD suspicions about this person, then why didn't they inform other countries to keep an eye on them? That's where the US is to blame.

[DMM200]

In this case, the Netherlands should have done something here. But again, if there's no information available, then the Netherlands wouldn't have been able to do much. TSA is not to blame here since TSA operates in the US (and its territories). If a flight is in US airspace and originated elsewhere, it's not TSA's fault someone slipped through.

However, if the US HAD suspicions about this person, then why didn't they inform other countries to keep an eye on them? That's where the US is to blame.

Really, the Netherlands has nothing to do w/ it, because the man's first flight was out of Lagos, not Amsterdam. In Lagos, their security probably isn't as strict as a more developed country, like the US. Once that flight from Lagos lands in Amsterdam, the terrorist can go straight to his connecting flight, which in this case was NWA 253 to Detroit. This is mainly because you don't need to pass through security again. And I think everyone can put it together from here...

[sanins192]

This is the problem. If there is a connecting flight on from a country where something such as drug trafficking is more common, the authorities should be on high alert for connecting passengers that are passing on to the US. I don't know how it happened, but you would have thought that the explosives he had smuggled aboard would have been detected some way or another. If this information had been shared more freely, he may have been searched more thoroughly and as such the explosives would have been detected.

[CK245]

Let's face it, we dropped the ball on this one!! We can turn around and blame foreign airports and security in other countries but this guy should have been p/u the minute he showed up at the airport with a ticket having as final destination a US city.
1. He shows up with a One way ticket paid in CASH.
2. He has no checked luggage.
3. He has been reported to our Embassy from his own father as having ties with radical clerics.
4. His passport shows that he visited countries where radical elements exist.
5. We gave him an unlimited access Visa and no one reviewed his status.

Because I travel frequently to Europe I can tell you with certainty that especially for Schiphol Airport its one of the best. I've used it in the past for connecting flights and US flights have their own departure gates, so in order for anyone to take a flight to the US even if you're coming from a European city you have to pass security checks again. In fact any European city where a US airline takes off from, most of the time the security is way different than if you were going to any other country.

And most important: Any Airline coming from any country into the US has to send their passenger manifest before they even get in the air. If this guy was on any list that was important we would have been flagged and not allow to board in Amsterdam.

[Dennis]

Really, the Netherlands has nothing to do w/ it, because the man's first flight was out of Lagos, not Amsterdam. In Lagos, their security probably isn't as strict as a more developed country, like the US. Once that flight from Lagos lands in Amsterdam, the terrorist can go straight to his connecting flight, which in this case was NWA 253 to Detroit. This is mainly because you don't need to pass through security again. And I think everyone can put it together from here...

Ah ah...he came to AMS in a KLM flight. Authorities there are suspecting a man let him check in without a passport. So it was really up to AMS authorities to put a stop. However, airline employees are also to blame considering that they did not follow proceedings by allowing him to board without ID.

[Northwestdc9]

Regardless of having an ID, he was still screened at least twice in Amsterdam and possibly prior to that as well and they found nothing.