Northwest Airlines Flight 253

The attempted bombing of Northwest Airlines Flight 253 happened on December 25, 2009. It occurred as an Airbus A330 was about to land at Detroit Metropolitan Airport after a flight from Amsterdam. A 23-year-old Nigerian man named Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab tried to set off explosives hidden on his body. This act was linked to a terrorist group called al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.

This was the second attempt to bomb an airplane in the United States in eight years. If it had succeeded, it would have been a very serious disaster. The man was later tried in a U.S. federal court and given a very long punishment for his actions. The leader who helped plan this act was killed in a drone strike in Yemen a short time later.

Sequence of events

On December 25, 2009, a man tried to start a fire on Northwest Airlines Flight 253 as it was landing in Detroit. The flight was coming from Amsterdam. The man had hidden a small explosive device on himself, but it did not work as planned. Passengers and crew helped to stop him and put out the fire. Everyone on the plane was safe, though a few people, including the man, were hurt.

The man had bought his ticket using cash and traveled through several airports before getting on the flight. When the plane was close to Detroit, he tried to set off the device, which caused a small fire. Other passengers helped to stop him and put out the flames. The plane landed safely and the man was taken into custody for questioning.

Key people

Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab

Main article: Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab

The person who tried to cause harm was Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, a 23-year-old from Nigeria, from a well-off family. He grew up in Kaduna, in Nigeria's northern area, where many people follow the Muslim faith.

He went to school at the British International School in Lomé, Togo, where he was known for his strong beliefs. Later, he studied Arabic in Sana'a, Yemen, and then at University College London. During this time, some people became concerned about his extreme views.

In 2008, he got a visa to visit the U.S. and later tried to return to Britain for a program that did not exist. His name was put on a watch list, but this information was not shared widely.

In late 2009, he stayed in Yemen and told his family he wanted to study Islamic law there. His family lost contact with him around that time.

Anwar al-Awlaki

Main article: Anwar al-Awlaki

There were reports that Abdulmutallab had contact with Anwar al-Awlaki, a Muslim leader living in Yemen who was linked to some harmful groups. Al-Awlaki had connections to others involved in harmful actions in the past.

Reports said that Abdulmutallab met and listened to al-Awlaki’s talks while he was studying in Yemen. Some believed al-Awlaki gave spiritual support to Abdulmutallab.

Jasper Schuringa

Jasper Schuringa was on the same flight. He helped stop Abdulmutallab and put out a fire, getting burns in the process. Schuringa lives in Amsterdam and works making films. For his brave actions, he received awards from the Dutch government and the city of Amsterdam.

Reactions and investigations

U.S. response

President Barack Obama was told about the event while he was on vacation in Kailua, Hawaii. He spoke with officials from the Department of Homeland Security and made sure that all necessary actions were taken. The White House said the event was an act of terrorism. U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano first said the security system worked well because of the actions of the passengers and crew. But the next day, she said the system "failed miserably" because the man had been allowed to board the plane with an explosive device.

On December 29, President Obama said the U.S. failing to stop the bombing attempt was "totally unacceptable" and ordered an investigation. The investigation was led by the FBI and included many law enforcement groups. They looked into the training the suspect received, whether others were involved, and why the U.S. government did not connect warnings it had received.

Analysis of explosives

The substance the suspect tried to detonate was a mix of a powerful explosive called PETN, another explosive called TATP, and other materials. The powder was analyzed by the FBI. The suspect carried the PETN in a small plastic container attached to his underwear. In a test, the bomb did not break the airplane, but it could have caused damage.

Al-Qaeda member Richard Reid had tried to detonate similar explosives in his shoes on an American Airlines flight in 2001.

On January 7, 2010, James L. Jones, the National Security Advisor, said Americans would be surprised by a report about intelligence failures that could have stopped the attack. He said President Obama was concerned that important information had not been used.

International response

Gordon Brown, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, said the UK would take any needed action. British police searched a place where the suspect had lived in London.

Dutch officials said they would start using full-body scanning X-ray technology on flights to the U.S. to improve security, even though some people were concerned about privacy.

Nigeria also planned to install full-body scanners at its airports in response to the event.

In response to the event and new U.S. rules, Canada planned to install full-body scanners at major airports.

Other agencies

Delta Air Lines, which had owned Northwest Airlines, said its Detroit group did not handle security for the flight. Delta said it was working fully with authorities. Delta's CEO said the event was disappointing, especially after 9/11.

In January 2010, two security companies and officials from Schiphol Airport, the Federal Aviation Authority, and U.S. intelligence officials argued about who was responsible for the security failure. According to Haaretz, there were two main problems: an intelligence failure in handling warnings, and a failure in the security system.

Aftermath

On December 26, a criminal complaint was filed against the person who tried to harm the plane, charging him with serious crimes. He faced many charges and was later sentenced to life in prison.

The event led to extra safety checks at airports. More security officers and special machines were added to help find hidden dangers. Passengers from some countries needed extra checks before flying to the U.S. These changes were meant to keep everyone safer during travels.