SOMETHING SMELLS ROTTEN ON FLIGHT 253

by Marshall Frank December 28, 2009

What’s wrong with this scenario?

An unkempt young man boards a plane in Nigeria bound for the United States, with one stop in Amsterdam. He has no luggage. The man spends over $2,000 cash to buy his ticket nine days earlier, in Ghana. Though his name is clearly on an international watch list of people with known or suspected ties to terrorist organizations, he manages to pass through customs with the necessary passport and visa. Then he passes through screening without any liquid or chemical substances being detected. Neither do they detect the hypodermic syringe in his possession. Though the airport has been provided with full body imaging machines by the U.S., they are not in use. Such machines would have detected PETN, the same chemical used by shoe bomber, Richard Reid.

In Holland, the passenger list is transmitted in full to U.S. authorities for review before Northwest Airlines Flight 253 leaves Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport. Authorities clear the list for take off. The man, a Muslim, continues on without a problem. (Most people from Nigeria are Muslim)

Feeling safe yet?

After a trans-Atlantic flight, wannabe terrorist Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab, 23, spends about twenty minutes in a rest room before the plane approaches the Detroit airport. After returning to his seat, he tries to ignite the crude combination of liquid and chemical substances which erupt into a small fire. The attempt fails as he is subdued by other heroic passengers. It is a poorly made bomb. The White House calls it an apparent terrorist attack. Brilliant.

Once in custody, the suspect speaks freely to authorities — presumably after his Miranda warnings — explaining that he was a trained operative for al Qaeda, and was told to detonate the bomb in the United States over a land mass. All terrorists should be so cooperative.

Answer to the question: Everything is wrong with this scenario.

It demonstrates how incompetent the screening process is, regardless of country. He should not have been issued a visa to the U.S., but he was. He should never have passed through screening, but he was. His cash-bought ticket, absence of luggage and shoddy appearance should have sent up red flags all over. It highlights how investigators and security personnel should be profiling all passengers — particularly Islamists — who exhibit suspicious behavior. Does anyone doubt that Mr. Mutallab would ever have seen the inside of that airplane if the letters on the outside read: El Al Airlines?

It was poor planning and clumsy execution of a supposed terror attack sponsored by an organization known for its deadly accuracy. al Qaeda would not be proud, unless, of course, this was the intended outcome.

The suspect could have detonated the device during his stay in the rest room where there was no chance of being subdued by neighboring passengers. Why not? Could the screw-up have been…deliberate?

Neither does it gel, that the suspect allegedly talked freely with authorities, admitting everything and handing up al Qaeda as the culprit. What does he, or al Qaeda, have to gain by his being a blabbermouth? If only Paul Harvey were alive, so he could tell us the rest of the story.

The dots don’t connect. It’s only logical to conclude that the attention of the United States government and our people may have been cleverly diverted from a more sinister plot.

I certainly don’t have the answer. But I sure hope the Homeland Security Department and the FBI have considered the strong possibility that this was a bogus act for intended for another purpose. There is more to come, to be sure, because the ease with which this man carried out the plan, in the wake of 9/11, is not only frightening, it emboldens the enemy who are licking their chops to kill…you, me and ours.

Remember, everything is not always as it appears.

A few links, for resources:

Click here: Passenger Jasper Schuringa Sphere News

Click here: US Approved Flight 253 Passenger List, Source Says

Here’s the knee jerk reaction:

Click here: Security Measures Ramped up

Read Debbie Schlussel’s report, which suggests that the suspect was allowed to board without a visa or passport. Not confirmed, as yet.

Click here: EPIC FAIL: Terrorist Abdulmutallab Allowed on Flt 253 w/out Passport

34 comments

Jack Milavic December 28, 2009 at 3:05 pm

Also tragic, there is technology that would have detected the PETN.

Jack

John Rooster Murray December 28, 2009 at 3:12 pm

Marshall I couldn’t agree with you more. Something really stinks in this whole scenario. I would really like to know if his explosive was in fact explosive grade PETN or some internet formula.

My guess in the liquid he had (if he in fact did have a liquid) was probably nitro methane available here in the US at any hobby store . It’s the fuel used in model airplanes so I would imagine it is available in other parts of the world. It is highly flammable but not to the point of causing a detonation.

Your also right when stating that the lavatory was a much better target, the confined space would have been much more beneficial. Appearently no form of behavior analysis was in place if it had been in this case red flags should have flown long before security check points were involved. In Richard Reid’s case he attempted to make a non metalic detonator using TATP (Triacetonetriperoxide) which failed but this guy didn’t even try that.

The thing that disturbs me the most is that I use air travel every Monday morning and I’m on US Airways and American Airlines “Do not fly” list and this guy has no problems getting on an aircraft. Worse yet this guys antics are going to cause misery to regular travelers.

I guess now if you have to go to the bathroom within the last hour of travel your going to have to raise your hand like in second grade or the airline industry is going to have to come up with a new type bag located in the seat pocket.

Steve Gure December 28, 2009 at 3:12 pm

The people in charge are following the wrong policy. On top of that they are totally incompetant. Then to go on national T.V. and proclaim that the system
has operated effectively is absurd. We have avoided a disaster because of a few courageous passengers. We are in a lot of trouble.

Ernest R. Melby December 28, 2009 at 3:13 pm

In my opinion, there are two possibilities for this terrorist act.
The first is that this man could be insane. Second is that it might be a diversion as you said, Marshall.
Whatever the reason for this attempted act, more than one country blew their responsibility. The next time might be far worse. WE cannot underestimate the wit and determination of the enemy.

Lee Boyland December 28, 2009 at 3:34 pm

Marshal, you raise an interesting point(s). I have been thinking much the same.

It has been reported that the bomb consisted of 80 grams of PETN– about 2.8 oz. Having detonated a lot of PETN based explosives, I doubt that it would have done much damage when detonated in seat 19. Over pressure in the cabin would damage ears, and destroy the seat. The floor would have resisted the small detonation, and the side of the airplane would have been breeched, causing no serious problem since the aircraft was below 10,000 feet. The blast would have probably killed Mutallab and injured the person sitting next to him.

Explosives can be detonated by shock (blasting cap) or heat (fire). From the description available, it appears the syringe was used to start an exothermic reaction designed to heat the PETN to detonation temperature. A very clumsy and risky detonation method, however, a technique that would not be detected by X-ray (no wires).

I am not sure what the purpose of the attack was, but I doubt that the planners expected Mutallab to survive. Mutallab’s statements appear to be hype, an attempt to cover up his failure.

I am surprised that the word “terrorist” has been used instead of “an attempted man-made disaster.”

I am not surprised that the fact Mutallab was a Muslim has received little attention. How did the 60’s flower children song go? Something like, “… will they ever learn?” I am beginning to wonder if we ever will.

Darrell December 28, 2009 at 3:41 pm

Marshall: Shame on you. By being vigilant and suspicious you take all the fun out of being surprised by the incompetance of our administration’s appointees. You obviously don’t remember the fine job Janet did watching the border with Mexico when she was Arizona’s governor. I’m convinced her next move will be to require terrorists to wear identification tags identifying them as such, and, to demand they verbally delare their intent prior to boarding a flight. Those procedures should ensure we’ll stop at least 10% of them. Perhaps someone should tell Janet about plastic explosives when they aren’t busy kissing her ring. Happy new year, spoilsport.

Ed Hensley December 28, 2009 at 3:53 pm

M.F. – Political Correctness killed 14 innocent Americans, at Ft. Hood, IMHO.
P.C. orders against profiling placed about
300 souls at risk on Flight 253. It’s way
past time to remove the handcuffs from our
TSA, FBI, CIA, & other Agents responsible for Commercial Airline Safety & Security.

I suggest Janet Nappy @ Homeland & Hilly @
State contract with El Al & Mossad, to train
selected U.S. Agent Instructors in Airline
Security. But Ho, Ho, Ho, Christmas has
passed & I have be suggesting Obama show us
his Long Form BC, for over a year now. I will not hold my breath for either but echo,
WHEN WILL AMERICA WAKE UP?

Jack Milavic December 28, 2009 at 3:54 pm

Marshall,

The technology tht would have effectively detectd the PETN is LVARS Standoff Detection Raman Spectrometer For Detection of Improvised Explosive Devices. This technology was offered to DHS/TSA by a DOD organization about two years ago and refused.

Dave Rivers December 28, 2009 at 3:58 pm

First: Rooster I KNOW why you are on a “no fly” list. I saw your teeshirt at the last reunion.

Second: Enter the Director of Homeland Security and says in an article (AP) “This was one individual literally of thousands that fly and thousands of flights every year, and he was stopped before any damage could be done. I think the important thing to recognize here is that once this incident occurred, everything happened that should have.”

My God! he was stopped before he could do any real damage (real or imagined) by a PASSENGER. Additionally, of course once the incident occurred everything happened that should have. If the “INCIDENT” had been successful everything that should have happened would also have happened. Fire Rescue and the police would have cleaned up the mess, years would have been spent investigating, undoubtedly a Senate Sub Committee would have been formed and some low level federal employee would have been lynched.

I don’t even want to start on what Gibbs (Spin Doctor) had to say. Happy New Year everyone.

David R. Ward December 28, 2009 at 4:01 pm

Marshall,

The International lack of security is evident.

David

Frank Piloto December 28, 2009 at 4:08 pm

Marshall, looks like you and I were thinking along similar lines. After having worked at MIA the last 9 years of my career, all of them assigned among other duties, to the El Al security detail, I can assure you that, this mutant would have never made it to the ticket counter. On primary review he would have been escorted to the second floor and interrogated by Israeli agents.
If in this case there was not a combination of stupidity, imcopetence and conspiracy, there those words do not exist. I hope Congress will institure hearings because I think this will point to high places.

Bill Solen December 28, 2009 at 6:01 pm

Marshall,
After 9/11 I was hired and trained by TSA. After traveling the country for a couple of months I ended up at FLL as the Baggage supervisor for Terminal-1. I later became one of the check point supervisors at B Concourse. During my baggage days I found that we were constantly being tested by groups/persons(?) other than the routine TSA tests. In checked baggage we would find full jars of peanut butter (mass) inside a gutted metal computer case accompanied by battery chargers, ipods, and wire wrapped around D cell batteries. Everything intended to xray as a bomb. TSA would first contact the BSO bomb unit and because there were no explosives, BSO and TSA would interview the passenger and then send him on his way. We wouldn’t want to make him miss his flight because we would then have to deal with the airlines. The passenger merely played stupid.

Subversive testing of our ability to detect and locate explosives and other weapons is ongoing and at some point the bad guys will find our weakest link and………..

al plummer December 28, 2009 at 6:42 pm

A one way ticket and no passport is a no fly condition it seems to me.

Les December 28, 2009 at 7:49 pm

From what we’ve been told, homocide bombers usually follow a cleaning/shaving ritual before detonating themselves. This guy is described as “scruffy.” This smells like a diversion to me. Let’s make everyone afraid to fly and ruin the airline industry. Then the trains…subways…trucking, and America comes to a standstill. Then we will effectively be cut off from travel. What say you?

Bob McGavock December 28, 2009 at 8:08 pm

Marshal,
I remember the judicial uproar that followed in the wake of so called “drug courier” profiling in the Miami Int Airport (and others) in the ’80s and ’90s. We had little problem identifying domestic smugglers by using common sense and good observation techniques. More often than not our basis for focussing on a certain passenger was due to suspicious actions of that passenger during the ticketting and/or pre-boarding processes.

Well, of course missed some, but no one could dispute the success record, either.
I have no doubt that the same basic techniques could be employed for detecting passengers with ill intent. A law enforcement official observing suspicious behavior by a pre-departure passenger would be remiss in not taking further steps to alleviate those suspicions.
The dangers that are inherent and intrinsic in international air travel today should provide enough legal exigency to permit very aggresive “profiling” with special attention to mid-eastern passengers. (Who are the bad guys anyhow?) Screw anyone who might take offense.

The director of DHS might do well to unleash such a proven and effective strategy. (yeah..right…like that will happen) Happy New Year, Marshall. Keep up the good thinking.

cathy stanton December 28, 2009 at 8:38 pm

Marshall – the near disaster was averted, thanks to a heroic passenger who managed to stop him. It was my understanding that he was at least burned by his mistake.
I have to wonder why a young black man, son of an upper-story banker in his country, could have let himself be brainwashed in such a short time, to such an extent that his worried father tried to alert the authorities because of his rad behavior.
Could he have just been bored with wealth and wanted to make a name for himself in Muslim Heaven, with the virgins.
Or was it something else, as your experts have intimated? We’ll wait and see, I guess, if he survives.

Dan December 28, 2009 at 8:57 pm

Diversion, feint, “noise” as in concealing a message, “smoke” as in obscuring vision–all are tactics employed in conflict situations. Another example of an enemy which knows more history than we do.

Nick December 28, 2009 at 9:15 pm

I always remeber seeing five TSA agents in 2005 having the lunch together and having a good time. Who was minding the shop?

Nick

KR December 28, 2009 at 9:31 pm

Some interesting facts that came out today:

The body screening/scanning devices that are in place in Amsterdam are used on flights, except for those in route to the USA. Has to do with American (gov’t) Political Correctness. Along this line, a new member of Congress has introduced a bill prohibiting their use in the USA, as they show the images of one’s body and he considers that an invasion of privacy.

As you have mentioned in the past, Federal guidelines have precluded the use of profiling.

New Federal guidelines just put in place state that during the last hour of flight: no passenger may remove anything from the overhead compartment, open any carry-on, have any personal items on one’s lap (computers, magazines, etc?)nor go to the restroom. Think about stupidity of that. Evidently the rule makers assume that persons who plan on taking terrorist actions won’t be smart enough to do their thing prior to the sixty minute window. The other assumption must be that passengers will either not drink anything, or will be able to hold it until they arrive at the terminal.

Also, pilots are not to tell passengers of their location in the air. To tell the passengers that they are flying over the Grand Canyon or Rockies or Manhattan might aid terrorists in timing their activities.

Finally, none of this should be too shocking. When the Air Marshal program was just beginning, the AM’s were to be armed while on duty, but prohibited from being armed when catching a hop back to their home base.

Sorry for the lengthy reply, but what the heck.

Jack HIggins December 28, 2009 at 10:54 pm

My guess is that this was a newly minted Islamic nut who was out on his own. These are hard to deal with and there are plenty more out there. What part of his anatomy do you think her burned?

Ed Hensley December 29, 2009 at 1:26 am

Excellent rundown on the new TSA Airline
Passenger Harrasment Rules by K.R. What a
crock. El Al screens for probable bad boys.
TSA screens for “Things,” with a new knee-
jerk policy adjustment after each screwup!

I can personally affirm that Airline Security in the Philippines puts U.S. TSA Ops to shame. BTW, I just heard where the U.K. had denied an entry visa, to this rich young “Wannabe Jihadist” Muslim. PC must GO!

Frank December 29, 2009 at 8:24 am

Amazing, if it looks like a terrorist, acts like a terrorist and smells like a terrorist, don’t offend him..Am I missing something here. The current TSA rules are stupid and ineffective in most areas but this incident is really beyond the pale.

Now we will probably have to arrive at the airport 24 hours before flight time and submit to strip searches before boarding.

Nappy has no idea what she is doing but I am sure that whatever new rules are implemented will be ineffective and time consuming so she can take a bow and tell everyone how great she is doing. We are doomed.

gladys December 29, 2009 at 10:27 am

Why have we not heard more about the “courageous young passenger” who saved the lives of all, by foiling the terrorist’s arttack on the plane? We should take this as a sign that we all must assume responsibility and not just wait for government to come to our rescue. In WW11 everyone shared in the sacrifices necessary to win against the enemy. Today, unless we have a loved one in the service, or a money loss, we hardly know we’re at WAR.

Dale December 29, 2009 at 12:13 pm

Like you Marshall, I’m just amazed that he got a visa to the USA in the first place.
Apparently, those who apply for visas are checked about as much as the Mexicans who flow across our border.
Take heart folks, in November 2010 we take our country back from the scoundrels that call themselves a congress.

Red Hunt December 29, 2009 at 12:20 pm

1st – gladys, you have to start watching Fox News.

2nd – the terrorist did not detonate in the bathroom because he had a strategic seat over the aircraft’s largest fuel tank.

3rd – we all know these people can’t run our security, the Post Office, a Rail Road, or Medicare and now they want to run our healthcare.

Don’t worry about healthcare. With this group in the White House and the coo-coos in Congress we will all be praying five times a day. Praying for a real American to show up and take charge.

The remarks of the head of Homeland Security shortly after the attempted bombing were ludicrous. The remarks of the president four days later are even more ludicrous. These people do not seem to know we are at war with Muslim extremists. No one in the administration wants to mention the J word or the ME words.

Stupid, simply downright stupid.

In 2001 and early 2002 the head of El Al was on all the news channels and gave us very specific suggestions to counter this sort of thing. He was followed by the coo-coo Congresspersons and Senators telling us why we could not carry out those suggestions. The short form of the responses: ACLU.

STUPID, SIMPLY STUPID.

Aimee December 29, 2009 at 12:56 pm

We’re all fighting a losing battle– railing against forces we have no control over. Our politicians have been bought by big- moneyed interests and don’t care about the welfare or safety of the American people, who no longer have a voice in their/our government. Political correctness will be the death of us (for this and other reasons). Bottom line: I’m glad I didn’t have any kids.

Frank Piloto December 29, 2009 at 1:14 pm

Marshall, I just read, and ask you to verify if you can, that the 4 camel jockeys that planned the attack, not the idiot who carried it out, were in jail in Guantanamo in 2007 when the Bush / Cheney group agreed to turn them over to the Saudis so the 4 could be rehabilitated in an arts and craft school. If this is true, we have an even bigger problem in our hands than the terrorists themselves.
I hope it is not true not because I liked Bush and Cheney, but because it shows our future, our fate and safety is in the hands of brainless imbecils. When is this country going to realize that one of our biggest enemies, if not the biggest one, are the Saudis?

Yury December 29, 2009 at 1:49 pm

You correctly mentioned that the man was a Muslim. But you repeatedly named him a “suspect”. “Suspect”… – what a politically correct baloney! You also said he was Nigerian – but we had just to guess he also was black.

Now, you have an interesting theory that he was involved in “a bogus act intended for another purpose”. So, the remaining questions: Are you sure the terrorist was originally from Nigeria and not from Kenya? Also, are you positive he was on the flight 253 and not in the White House?

Laura December 29, 2009 at 3:52 pm

Marshall, another wonderful and fact filled article that really got my attention. I totally agree with you, something indeed does smell rotten.
Reminds me of the time I flew hom to GA from England,,..I tried to carry a TOY bow and arrow set, bought at a gift shop for my then 9 year old son, as I went to board the plane, a woman throughly frisked me, searched all my carry on luggage, while two men with what looked like machine guns were standing by each side of me. I was terrified. I was the only one who was treated in this way, no one else. And yet, things that you have listed here are going on, it makes me sick. Seems to me that the FBI and Homeland Security need to get their ducks in a row…

Tom Ault December 29, 2009 at 3:53 pm

Two corrections, I apologize for that. The last one was to “Shoot” not shot, and the first was “most of the world”

Bill Solen December 29, 2009 at 7:07 pm

I will quickly address 2 responses. To Nick; TSA screeners get a lunch/dinner break for which they DO NOT get paid, unlike law enforcement. They generally break an entire team (5-7) who many times will eat together. To Aimee; Although we may be “fighting a losing battle”, we must keep trying and not raise a white flag. Outside of that I agree with everything you said in your response. How many lives have already been lost by ‘political correctness?’

Alan O December 30, 2009 at 2:02 pm

Marshall, interesting comments by you and your responders.
My suggestion is that all airline tickets must be puchased 30+/- hours before a flight after a specific information form has been completed and read by a computer. The ticket would be subject to clearance by a government data base. Depending on the initial computer search, the ticket could be issued/cofirmed immediately or within 6+/- hours. Identity verification of the ticket holder would be by finger printing checks just before boarding.
This with some of the others suggestions made will raise the bar and spot “the nuts” and possibly the “bad guys” more effectively.

Pamela Jarvis December 31, 2009 at 3:54 pm

Frank Piloto…..your blog was the most interesting one of all…actually it is true that Bush & Cheney were responsible for the release of the four Guantanamo prisoners who planned this latest terrorist attempt. They were to be rehabilitated in Saudi Arabia. There seems to be a strong connection with the Bush Administration and the Saudis. Guess we’ll see what happens in Guantanamo as a result of this latest new.

Rich Moore February 1, 2010 at 1:13 pm

Virtually ALL attempted or accomplished ‘ terrorist’ acts were directed or planned or assisted by some Intelligence asset from some 3 letter agency. recall the GLADIO bombings decades ago? blamed on left wingers? turned out to be all a set up by Italian and other intel ops.

Google: Intelligence, terrorists, conspiracy…sometime and read for a few hours. dsclassified documents reveal that there exists more hard evidence to prove state sponsorship of terror acts to advance political and monetary interests than there is to suggest that a network of cunning cavedwellers have the means to overcome all defenses and attack at will.

9-11 was, without any doubt now, a contrived false flag attack…a coup by the CIA insider eastern establishment neocons and with Israels Mossad in it up to their necks. The people who REALLY run this world have grand plans, and petty events of terror must be kept in the public eye to maintain the survelliance and stripping away of liberties in the name of security that always befalls a nation who trusts its leaders.

Bush is guilty of crimes so foul and severe that only a war crimes tribunal could unravel…but CHENEY is the real culprit; cheney was the point man on 9-11 that disabled the Pentagon defenses so the attack could procede and a particular area of naval intelligence could be taken out…and the brass warned that there is a new way and to go along with it.

People, all this Muslim nonsense is just a ruse to keep people fearful of each other…some posters here actually embrace FEAR as appropriate because the newest bilderburg pick for President is another type of criminal…so what? They all are!!

Frank welcomes intelligent and insightful responses to commentary, especially from folks with contrary points of view and other insights to offer. Please keep comments pertinent to the title issue. Though some issues may draw passionate reactions, Frank insists on maintaining respectful decorum and will take the liberty of deleting foul language or an entire comment if it's deemed outrageously inappropriate. He would appreciate responders who leave their names, city of residence and, if possible, e-mail address.

Frank has been writing and publishing commentary since 1994. His articles have appeared in various newspapers in North Carolina and Florida, along with short stories in many magazines. True to his moniker "Frankly Speaking,"(the title of one of his books) Frank wastes no words in presenting his message as he hits sharp and hard but above the belt. No one would ever call him politically correct. His critics are hard pressed to pigeonhole him as a liberal or conservative, as his views vary depending on the issue. Because he is not running for office nor seeking a job, the muzzle is off. One critic said, "I don't always agree with Mr. Frank, but he sure makes you think."