Jan. 7 (Bloomberg) — U.S. border agents spotted possible extremist links of the Nigerian man accused of trying to blow up a Detroit-bound airliner and had singled him out to be questioned when the plane landed, an administration official said.

In a routine check of passengers scheduled to arrive in the country, Customs and Border Protection officers discovered Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab was in a federal database of people who may have ties to terrorists and decided to interview him before allowing him admission to the U.S., the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said.  Read more... (778 words, 1 image, estimated 3:07 mins reading time)

Originally published October 2, 2009

The men of Bravo Company have a bitter description for the irrigated swath of land along the Arghandab River in Afghanistan, where 10 members of their battalion have been killed since the beginning of August: “Like Vietnam without the napalm.”

By Hal Bernton
The Seattle Times

JELAWUR, Afghanistan — The men of Bravo Company have a bitter description for the irrigated swath of land along the Arghandab River where 10 members of their battalion have been killed and 30 have been wounded since the beginning of August.  Read more... (1082 words, 1 image, estimated 4:20 mins reading time)

Originally published November 9, 2009

To identify dangerous people, the Transportation Security Administration has stationed specially trained behavior detection officers at 161 U.S. airports.

By Ken Kaye
Sun Sentinel

You might not see them. But they’re studying you.

To identify dangerous people, the Transportation Security Administration has stationed specially trained behavior detection officers at 161 U.S. airports. The officers can be positioned anywhere, from the parking garage to the gate, trying to spot passengers who show an unusual level of nervousness or stress.

They don’t focus on nationality, race, ethnicity or gender, said Sari Koshetz, spokeswoman for the TSA.  Read more... (560 words, 1 image, estimated 2:14 mins reading time)

After the terrorism attempt Friday on a Northwest Airlines flight, federal officials Saturday imposed a new layer of restrictions on travelers that could lengthen lines at airports and limit the ability of international passengers to move about an airplane.

By MICHELINE MAYNARD and LIZ ROBBINS
The New York Times

After the terrorism attempt Friday on a Northwest Airlines flight, federal officials Saturday imposed a new layer of restrictions on travelers that could lengthen lines at airports and limit the ability of international passengers to move about an airplane.  Read more... (1082 words, 1 image, estimated 4:20 mins reading time)

An airline-security expert said Friday that one thing is clear: The incident in Detroit should prompt a swift re-evaluation of passenger screening at airports throughout the world.

By Amber Hunt

Detroit Free Press

DETROIT — An airline-security expert said Friday that one thing is clear: The incident in Detroit should prompt a swift re-evaluation of passenger screening at airports throughout the world.

Douglas Laird, former security director for Northwest Airlines, said he has been advocating for years that airports switch from X-rays and metal detectors to full-body scans, a move that would cost hundreds of millions of dollars more, but that he insists would help prevent terrorist attempts like the one reported Friday.  Read more... (380 words, 1 image, estimated 1:31 mins reading time)

By JOAN LOWY

Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON —

Some airlines were telling passengers on Saturday that new government security regulations prohibit them from leaving their seats beginning an hour before landing

The regulations are a response to a suspected terrorism incident on Christmas Day.

Air Canada said in a statement that new rules imposed by the Transportation Security Administration limit on-board activities by passengers and crew in U.S. airspace. The airline said that during the final hour of flight passengers must remain seated. They won’t be allowed access to carryon baggage or to have any items on their laps.  Read more... (527 words, 1 image, estimated 2:06 mins reading time)

Extra pat-downs before boarding. No getting up for the last hour of the flight. More bomb-sniffing dogs. Airports worldwide tightened security a day after a passenger tried to light some kind of explosive on a flight into Detroit.

By JOSHUA FREED and JOAN LOWY

Associated Press Writers

Extra pat-downs before boarding. No getting up for the last hour of the flight. More bomb-sniffing dogs. Airports worldwide tightened security a day after a passenger tried to light some kind of explosive on a flight into Detroit.

The Transportation Security Administration wouldn’t say exactly what it was doing differently on Saturday. It didn’t need to.  Read more... (1000 words, 1 image, estimated 4:00 mins reading time)

It’s easy enough to buy a smoke at Isa Yakubu’s grocery store on a busy street in Lagos, Nigeria. Never mind if you don’t have much money. Most local merchants are happy to break open a pack and sell cigarettes one at a time — single sticks, as they’re known — for about 10 Nigerian naira, or 7 cents. “St. Moritz is the most popular brand,” says Yakubu. “But [people] also like Rothmans and Benson & Hedges.”  Read more... (1509 words, 1 image, estimated 6:02 mins reading time)

CNN) — Passenger Jasper Schuringa told CNN that with the aid of the cabin crew, he helped subdue and isolate Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, who was charged Saturday with trying to destroy a plane.

Schuringa of Amsterdam, Netherlands, said he was traveling to Florida to visit friends. The journey aboard Northwest Airlines Flight 253 had been mundane, he said. But as the plane neared its destination of Detroit, Michigan, he heard a pop that sounded like a firecracker going off, and someone started yelling: “Fire! Fire!”  Read more... (421 words, 1 image, estimated 1:41 mins reading time)

Melinda Dennis, one of the passengers on Northwest Airlines Flight 253, the plane that was the scene of an attempted terror attack on Christmas day, spoke to NBC about the chaotic scene.

Dennis was seated at the front of the plane, and didn’t realize how serious the situation was until the suspect, Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab, had been incapacitated.

Originally I assumed it was an unruly passenger but then they started yelling for water and were running up the aisle so you gradually realized something more serious was taking place. By the time they grabbed the fire extinguisher I knew for sure we had an issue.  Read more... (191 words, 1 image, estimated 46 secs reading time)