Aviation News

2012-02-16

Underwear Bomber Who Attempted to Down Northwest Airlines Flight Sentenced to Life in Prison

Underwear bomber Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab

Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab was sentenced to life in prison on Thursday for attempting to detonate a bomb sewn into his underwear aboard a Northwest Airlines flight on December 25, 2009.

The attempted Christmas Day terror attack was hatched by Al Qaeda operatives in Yemen. Abdulmutallab, a native of Nigeria, boarded a KLM flight from Ghana to Amsterdam, and then transferred to Northwest Airlines Flight 253, an Airbus A330-300 (N820NW) bound for Detroit.

According to witnesses, Abdulmutallab spent about 20 minutes in the bathroom as the plane approached Detroit, and then covered himself with a blanket when he returned to his seat. Shortly thereafter, fellow passengers said they heard a popping sound, followed by the sight of flames on Abdulmutallab’s pants and the wall of the plane. Two passengers wrestled Abdulmutallab to the ground and doused the flames.

Abdulmutallab had pleaded guilty to six counts, including attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction and conspiracy to commit an act of terrorism.



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Friday Photos: A Tribute to St. Maarten and St. Barthelemy

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Why can’t TSA exhibit common sense now and then? If we’re to believe that TSA screeners are well-trained professionals, why can't they handle an occasional judgment call?
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  • Joe

    Who was responsible for the airport security where he boarded?  There are those who would allow a bomber on if they thought it would be of advantage to their own country.  Christmas Day Crotch Bomber Tied to Israel, FBI. 
    http://salem-news.com/articles/february072010/crotch_bomber_jg.php
    How did a young Nigerian Muslim without a passport “slip through” security at Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport? Not only did his itinerary feature an illogical travel route, he paid cash for a high-priced last-minute ticket and boarded without checked baggage. How?
    One theory – Israel security thought an incident would increase the war on terror, (their enemies).
    As the U.S. sinks into bankruptcy, we are ridiculed abroad for failing to acknowledge the obvious: Americans have long been the target of a fraud operated by Israelis, pro-Israelis and those supportive of their goals for the region.
    What better way to wage war on the U.S. than from within? How else can Israel expand except by duping its super power ally to wage wars for Greater Israel? Never mind the cost in blood and treasure. As an ally, the U.S. is easily portrayed as guilty by association.
    Those promoting the Crotch Bomber scare are part of the problem. In the Information Age, this latest false flag operation is typical of how treason proceeds in plain sight yet, to date, with impunity. Those media outlets marketing this latest lie are an enemy within.

    Watch for false flag terror where one country commits or allows the terror and blames it on another country. If an airport security person in Europe spotted a terrorist boarding an aircraft but allowed it because he believed it would further his own countries military goals, that would be a false flag attack similar to the Christmas crotch bomber. You not only have to screen those boarding the planes, but those screening the borders.