US security warned about 'Nigerian'

An image from ABC News of the syringe detonator allegedly used in a failed plot to blow up an plane (AP)
12 April 2012

American security services received intelligence suggesting "a Nigerian" in Yemen was planning a terrorist attack weeks before a passenger jet was targeted on Christmas Day, according to reports.

Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, 23, is being held at a federal prison in Michigan on a charge of trying to destroy an aircraft.

He allegedly attempted to ignite explosive stored in his underpants as the flight from Amsterdam, carrying 280 passengers, made its final descent into Detroit on Friday.

US network ABC News reported that information had been received by US authorities suggesting an attack might be imminent.

On Tuesday, US President Barack Obama criticised "systemic" failings that allowed Abdulmutallab to board the flight.

He said information passed on by the suspect's father was not acted on correctly.

"Where our government has information on a known extremist and that information is not shared and acted upon as it should have so that this extremist boarded a plane with dangerous explosives that could have cost nearly 300 lives, a systemic failure has occurred and I consider that totally unacceptable," he said.

"We need to learn from this episode and act quickly to fix the flaws in our system because our security is at stake and lives are at stake."

Meanwhile, it has emerged Adulmutallab oversaw a week-long "war on terror" event, held two years ago, during his time as president of University College London's (UCL) Islamic society.

A series of lectures were held at the UCL from January 29 to February 2 2007, including one called Jihad Vs Terrorism which was billed as a "lecture on the Islamic position with respect to Jihad and other issues". Advertised speakers included Respect MP George Galloway.

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