the recent terror suspect was able to board a plane and attempted to set off a explosive device,yet he had paid for a one way ticket with cash,had no luggage ,his father a highly respected man reported him in nov for his assocation with a terror group and he was placed on a watch list .yet he still mananged to not be red flagged and smuggle on a explosive device.also why was the president not bothered with this info till 3 hours after it happened?was his staff to scared to tell him or did they feel it wasnt important enough ?some one has yet again droped the ball and not enforced the rules yet i am sure no one will be help responsible.

Down deep, but they won't say it, they'll blame it on the holiday rush. These officials need to open their eyes and I'm sure alot of them got their butts chewed good!

I remember the clerk at the Best Buy store that was changing videos to dvds for his customers. He luckily, took the time, to be nosy and watch the videos. He reported the info. to proper authorities and followed their lead. He saved alot of lives at the Army installation, Fort Belvoir, Virginia. We need more people like this one clerk.

This information makes me aware. I would still fly. I would however, demand that more U.S. Marshalls are placed on flights and more often.

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From below, the terrorist's father tried everything:

The father of the suspect recently contacted the U.S. Embassy in Nigeria with concerns his son was planning something, a senior U.S. administration official said Saturday.

The father -- identified by a family source as Umaru Abdulmutallab -- contacted the embassy "a few weeks ago" saying his son, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, had "become radicalized," the senior administration official, who is familiar with the case, told CNN.

A family source told CNN that the elder Abdulmutallab -- who recently retired as chairman of First Bank PLC, one of Nigeria's premier banks -- had contacted the embassy in Nigeria's capital, Abuja, and various other security agencies earlier than the timeline provided by the administration official. The family source said Abdulmutallab went to those agencies about three months ago after receiving a text message from his son.

The source, who lives at the family home in Kaduna in northern Nigeria, said the son informed his family in the text message that he was leaving school in Dubai to move to Yemen. He implied that he was leaving "for the course of Islam."

The family member said Abdulmutallab "had no family consent or support," adding he "absconded to Yemen."

Abdulmutallab's information about his son was forwarded to the National Counter-Terrorism Center, and Abdulmutallab was added to a general watch list, a senior administration official said. But the official said "the info on him was not deemed specific enough to pull his visa or put him on a no-fly list."

Abdulmutallab's father notified the U.S. Embassy with information on his son, saying the family feared he went to Yemen to participate in "some kind of jihad."

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Why did security checks fail to spot explosives?December 27, 2009 9:31 a.m. EST

(CNN) -- The alleged terror incident aboard a passenger flight from Amsterdam to Detroit has raised questions as to how a Nigerian man carried explosives through stringent security measures.

Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab has been charged with attempting to destroy a passenger plane after he detonated a device on board a jet on Friday.

Authorities in the United States are investigating whether Abdulmutallab had any connections with terrorist organizations or was acting alone.

With Dutch officials scrutinizing security procedures at Amsterdam's Schiphol airport that allowed the 23-year-old man to smuggle the explosives on the aircraft -- here are some of the key questions still hanging over the incident.

Where did the explosives come from?

The man charged with igniting the device claims he obtained the explosives in Yemen, along with instruction on how to use it. He carried these onto a flight from Lagos, Nigeria, to Amsterdam, Netherlands where he transferred to Northwest Flight 253 to Detroit.

Was he on any security watch lists?

U.S. authorities say they were contacted by the man's father ahead of the attack, but whether he was placed on any so-called No-Fly list maintained by the United States is unclear. Dutch officials say the passenger's name appeared on a manifest supplied by the airline, which was passed to U.S. authorities, who cleared the flight to depart.

Were the proper security checks performed?

Yes, say Dutch authorities, who say he passed through normal procedures and that "security was well-performed." He is known to have passed through a metal detector and his luggage was X-rayed. Extra attention is normally applied to passengers arriving from Nigeria because of concerns over fraud and smuggling. Nevertheless airports around the world have stepped up security procedures in the wake of the incident, increasing pat-downs and secondary searches.

So how did the explosives get through?

Dutch authorities are at pains to point out that if the passenger had powders concealed upon his person or secreted bottles of liquid somewhere else, they certainly would not have been picked up by the metal detector.

Is there any way of detecting these kind of explosives?

A preliminary FBI analysis indicates the device contained PETN, also known as Pentaerythritol Tetranitrate, a highly explosive chemical. Experts say this would have been picked up using a swab commonly used in secondary screening. A body scan, particularly the new 3D imaging scanners being trailed at some airports, would also have spotted something strapped to his body, even in the crotch area.

Why were there no U.S. air marshal security officers on the flight?

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano told CNN federal air marshals are not posted on all flights. She said this was not due to budgetary constraints, but down to standard procedures, which see marshals posted randomly on certain routes.

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Obama orders review of flight screenings December 27, 2009 10:32 a.m. EST

(CNN) -- President Obama has ordered a review of security screening processes after Friday's botched terror attack on a U.S. airliner, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said Sunday.

Appearing on the ABC program "This Week" and the NBC program "Meet the Press," Gibbs said Obama is receiving regular briefings by his national security staff on the incident in which a suspect allegedly tried to detonate an explosive device on a Northwest Airlines flight from Amsterdam, The Netherlands, making its final approach to Detroit, Michigan.

The suspect, 23-year-old Nigerian Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, was on a broad watch list of 550,000 names since last month, Gibbs said.

That list does not automatically bring tighter screening of individuals, Gibbs said, and Obama has ordered a review of the procedures for determining which people on the list undergo more stringent checking.

Obama also called for "a review to ... figure out why an individual with the chemical explosive he had on him could get on a plane in Amsterdam and fly into the United States," Gibbs said on NBC.

"The president is very confident that this government is taking the steps that are necessary to take our fight to those who seek to do us harm," Gibbs said on the ABC program.

Authorities on Sunday focused their investigation on how a lone traveler smuggled explosives aboard the Northwest Airlines flight and who might have helped him.

Abdulmutallab, who had a multiple entry visa to the United States, was charged Saturday in a federal criminal complaint.

Q&A: Why did security checks fail to spot explosives

People on the flight described a chaotic scene that began with a popping sound followed by flames erupting at Abdulmutallab's seat. Jasper Schuringa, a Dutch passenger on the flight from Amsterdam, leaped across the aisle to grab the suspect, who according to authorities suffered burns on his legs.

Schuringa told CNN he saw that Abdulmutallab was holding a burning object between his legs.

"I pulled the object from him and tried to extinguish the fire with my hands and threw it away," Schuringa said. He said he heard fire extinguishers as he pulled Abdulmutallab out of his seat and dragged him to the front of the plane.

In Nigeria, Abdulmutallab checked no baggage on his trip that originated in Lagos on a KLM flight to Amsterdam, where he changed planes to the Northwest flight, according to Harold Demuren, director-general of Nigeria's Civil Aviation Authority.

The suspect had a shoulder bag and went through the normal check-in process with his passport and U.S. visa scanned, Demuren said Sunday. The multiple-entry U.S. visa was issued in London, England, in June 2008 with an expiration date of June 2010, Demuren said.

Abdulmutallab then passed through a walk-through metal detector and put his shoulder bag through an X-ray screening machine, Demuren said. He also said the suspect underwent secondary screening at the boarding gate for the KLM flight, according to officials of the Dutch airline.

The father of the suspect recently contacted the U.S. Embassy in Nigeria with concerns his son was planning something, a senior U.S. administration official said Saturday.

The father -- identified by a family source as Umaru Abdulmutallab -- contacted the embassy "a few weeks ago" saying his son, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, had "become radicalized," the senior administration official, who is familiar with the case, told CNN.

A family source told CNN that the elder Abdulmutallab -- who recently retired as chairman of First Bank PLC, one of Nigeria's premier banks -- had contacted the embassy in Nigeria's capital, Abuja, and various other security agencies earlier than the timeline provided by the administration official. The family source said Abdulmutallab went to those agencies about three months ago after receiving a text message from his son.

The source, who lives at the family home in Kaduna in northern Nigeria, said the son informed his family in the text message that he was leaving school in Dubai to move to Yemen. He implied that he was leaving "for the course of Islam."

The family member said Abdulmutallab "had no family consent or support," adding he "absconded to Yemen."

Abdulmutallab's information about his son was forwarded to the National Counter-Terrorism Center, and Abdulmutallab was added to a general watch list, a senior administration official said. But the official said "the info on him was not deemed specific enough to pull his visa or put him on a no-fly list."

In addition, the official said there was "no derogatory information that would have prevented him from getting a visa" back in June 2008.

A law enforcement official familiar with the investigation into Abdulmutallab said investigators are still trying to trace his past travels.

"Investigators are looking into any al Qaeda connections and whether he had help and training from Yemen," the law enforcement official said.

A preliminary FBI analysis found that the device on the plane contained PETN, also known as Pentaerythritol Tetranitrate, a highly explosive chemical compound. In addition, FBI agents recovered what appear to be remnants of a syringe near Abdulmutallab's seat, believed to have been part of the device.

The family source said Abdulmutallab received a college degree at the University College London, where spokesman Dave Weston said a man named Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab was enrolled in the mechanical engineering department between September 2005 and June 2008.

When Abdulmutallab returned to Nigeria from London, he told his family he wanted to get a second college degree in Cairo, Egypt, or Saudi Arabia, the family source said. The family refused because they were worried that he may have developed ties to some dubious people. He went to Dubai instead, the source said, where he sent a text message saying he had gone to Yemen to start a new life and that it would be difficult for anyone to reach him because he had thrown away his SIM card.

Abdulmutallab's father notified the U.S. Embassy with information on his son, saying the family feared he went to Yemen to participate in "some kind of jihad."

A federal security bulletin obtained by CNN said Abdulmutallab claimed the explosive device used Friday "was acquired in Yemen along with instructions as to when it should be used."

Yemeni authorities have yet to receive official information on the terror attempt, according to a Yemeni official who asked not to be named because he is not authorized to speak to the media. But, the source said the country's government will take immediate action once the attempted bombing suspect's alleged link to the country is officially identified.

Earlier Saturday, the Netherlands' national coordinator for counterterrorism told CNN that Abdulmutallab had gone through "normal security procedures" in Amsterdam before boarding the flight and those were "well-performed."

The initial impression is that the suspect was acting alone and did not have any formal connections to organized terrorist groups, a U.S. administration official said.

Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Mississippi, who chairs the House Committee on Homeland Security, said the attempted act of terrorism would be the focus of an oversight hearing next month. Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-West Virginia, also said his Senate Commerce Committee would hold a hearing on the incident.

In Nigeria, the government said Saturday that it "received with dismay the news of attempted terrorist attack on a U.S. airline" and has ordered its security agencies to investigate the incident.

Officials from the Nigerian Embassy in Washington have flown to Michigan "to gain Consular access" to Abdulmutallab, the embassy said in a statement Saturday. The embassy said it plans to cooperate with U.S. authorities.

An official with the Transportation Security Administration told CNN there will be increased security measures taken on international flights to the United States. The official advised travelers to allow for extra time before the flight. There will be no change in the number of carry-on bags allowed.

I have friends and family who travel alot. I have traveled alot, as well, and I notice that Dulles International Airport, near Washington, DC, has already taken these Security Screening Measures.

(http://www.metwashairports.com/Dulles)Says:

"Dulles Diamond" Screening Checkpoint
This checkpoint is designated to speed experienced adult travelers through the security screening process. The checkpoint is downstairs on the Arrivals (bag claim) Level of the Main Terminal.

This service will also help to reduce wait times at the Main Passenger Screening Checkpoints.

Please note the traveler criteria for using these lanes:

Expert adult traveler (2 or more trips per month)
Traveling alone
Up to one carry-on item
Security ready (3-1-1 for liquids/gels, laptops out of the case, shoes off)
Families, passengers traveling with children, pets, and other passengers with special needs should use the Main Passenger Screening Checkpoint on the ticketing level of the Main Terminal. Employees, including Flight Crew, must continue to use the Employee Screening Checkpoint.

they re now saying that he had help from the inside . he was seated in the best, or worst depending on how you look at it, seat on the plane. over the wing, over the fuel tank, next to the thinnest skin on the plane, all of which make seat 19 the deadliest seat to blow up a plane from. so ,that said , it appears he had help from people within the airports system somewhere or so they are now saying .
here we go with the conspiracy theories but, is it possible that the enemy has people that infiltrated all areas of the airlines such as ticket sales, security and so forth by getting hired to do these jobs?it has been several years now and whos to say they are not planning their next attack from within? just a thought !

I think that there may always be a possible person helping on the inside. The fuel tank area and suicide bombing, just seem to look as though, he was trying to do just that.

Also, I have a Passport, but I was looking up U.S. Visas and how they are obtained. The news said there was no derogatory info. that prevented the terrorist from getting a Visa in 2008.

From U.S. Department of State (Travel & Visas)

How Can I use a Visa to Enter the U.S.?

Having a U.S. visa allows you to travel to a port of entry, airport or land border crossing, and request permission of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Customs and Border Protection (CBP) inspector to enter the U.S. While having a visa does not guarantee entry to the U.S, it does indicate a consular officer at a U.S Embassy or Consulate abroad has determined you are eligible to seek entry for that specific purpose. DHS/CBP inspectors, guardians of the nation’s borders, are responsible for admission of travelers to the U.S., for a specified status and period of time. DHS also has responsibility for immigration matters while you are present in the U.S.

I got 1 of my most important wishes. More U.S. Marshalls!

More U.S. air marshals flying since failed terror attackDecember 28, 2009 2:23 a.m. EST

(CNN) -- The Department of Homeland Security has significantly increased the number of air marshals on flights since a failed Christmas terror attack on a U.S. jetliner, a department official told CNN Sunday.

The official, who asked not to be identified, said the ranks of the marshals have been increased by cutting vacations and leave and by pulling in air marshals from instructional and administrative posts.

It is George W. Bush's fault. Just like everything else that is going wrong.

The Terrorists have been here quite a while. We have do do something about them. My hero is the guy that smashed out the flames, crawling across the other passengers, to do so, in this case. And remember the 9/11 hijackers, had pilot courses right in the good old U.S. We had better be acting on the Terrorists before they can strike.

Update: Al Qaeda takes the Blame!
From cnn.com

Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula claimed responsibility for the attempted Christmas Day terrorist attack on a plane about to land in the U.S., saying it was in retaliation for alleged U.S. strikes on Yemeni soil.

In the statement, published on radical Islamist Web sites, the group hailed the "brother" who carried out the "heroic attack." The group said it tested a "new kind of explosives" in the attack, and hailed the fact that the explosives "passed through security."

The group threatened further attacks, saying, "since Americans support their leaders they should expect more from us."

"We have prepared men who love to die," the statement dated Saturday said.

Part of the explosive device was sewn into AbdulMutallab's underwear, a law enforcement official told CNN Monday.

The amount of explosive involved was sufficient to blow a hole in the aircraft, a source with knowledge of the investigation told CNN Sunday.

"After his father contacted the embassy recently, we coded his visa file so that, had he attempted to renew his visa months from now, it would have triggered an in-depth review of his application," a U.S. official said.

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From cnn.com

"Patdown is here to stay on U.S.-bound flights." "This incident has exposed what the airline authorities hoped would not be shown up."