[MilCom] Fwd: [CivilAirComms] NWA 253 psgr claims Al Qaeda ties.

[AllanStern at aol.com]

Passenger Ignites Explosive on Delta Flight, Al Qaeda Connection  Reported
Friday, December 25, 2009  
 
A male passenger possibly linked to terrorist organization Al Qaeda ignited 
 a powdery substance prior to landing on a Delta Airlines flight to Detroit 
 Friday, Fox News confirmed. The man is believed to be Nigerian.
 
Several people were hurt and one person, possibly the suspect, was admitted 
 to the University of Michigan Medical Center at Ann Arbor, hospital 
spokeswoman  Tracy Justice said. An emergency was declared aboard the flight, 
operated as  Northwest flight 253, according to a Federal Aviation 
Administration  spokesperson.
 
The suspect, who ABC reported suffered second-degree burns, told federal  
investigators he was connected to Al Qaeda, though authorities are 
questioning  the veracity of that statement, Fox News confirmed. A federal situational 
 awareness bulletin noted that the explosive was acquired in Yemen with  
instructions as to when it should be used, ABC said.
 
The FBI was on the scene, Detroit office spokeswoman Sandra Berchtold told  
NewsCore. Berchtold declined to comment on the reports of a terrorist  
connection.
 
President Barack Obama was notified of the incident by a military aide  
while vacationing with his family in Hawaii and convened a secure conference  
call with Homeland Security and Counter-terrorism Adviser John Brennan and 
NSS  Chief of Staff Denis McDonough to discuss it, White House spokesman Bill 
Burton  said.
 
"He asked to arrange a subsequent secure call and in that call instructed  
that all appropriate measures be taken to increase security for air travel. 
The  President is actively monitoring the situation and receiving regular 
updates,"  Burton said in a statement.
 
Early reports suggested the suspect ignited firecrackers on board the  
Airbus A330 wide-body jet, but a law enforcement official told Fox News the  
explosive has not yet been identified.
 
All 278 passengers on the plane, which landed around noon local time,  
deplaned at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, Delta spokesperson Susan  
Elliott said.
 
"Out of an abundance of caution, the plane was moved to a remote area where 
 the plane and all baggage are currently being rescreened. A passenger is 
in  custody and passengers are being interviewed," the Transportation 
Security  Administration said in a statement.
 
It was not immediately clear if the suspect was subdued by crew or  
passengers.
 
Passengers traveling for the remainder of Christmas Day "may notice  
additional screening measures put into place to ensure the safety of the  
traveling public," Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman Sara Kuban said  in a 
statement. DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano has been briefed on the  incident.
 
AL STERN Satellite Beach FL
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