Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab

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Underwear Bomber Likens Treatment to 'Being Drowned'

Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab is suing over treatment in Supermax

(Newser) - The Nigerian man who tried to blow up a Detroit-bound jet with an underwear bomb is suing the US Justice Department, claiming he's been force-fed, punished for being Muslim, and held in solitary confinement inside Colorado's Supermax prison, all in violation of his constitutional rights. Upon his arrival...

'Wait Until You Are in the US, Then Bring the Plane Down'

Documents obtained by 'NYT' show US-born cleric's mentoring of underwear bomber

(Newser) - “Wait until you are in the US, then bring the plane down.” Those were the final words of advice from US-born cleric Anwar al-Awlaki to underwear bomber Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab before the latter tried to set off a bomb aboard a jet in 2009. The device fizzled and...

TSA Chief: Bad Hygiene 'Degraded' Underwear Bomb

Would-be bomber wore it for weeks, and it apparently got damp

(Newser) - You likely remember the failed underwear bomb aboard a 2009 flight to Detroit that sent Umar Abdulmutallab to prison for life . What you may not know: The plot seems to have failed thanks in part to lousy hygiene. In a panel discussion yesterday, TSA chief John Pistole said Abdulmutallab had...

Bin Laden Groomed Rising al-Qaeda Leader, 36

Al-Wuhayshi, figure in new security alerts, served as his personal aide

(Newser) - The name Nasser al-Wuhayshi is starting to become more familiar to Americans, thanks to the recent spate of security alerts . It was messages between him and overall al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahri that triggered US alarm. So who is he? Some snippets from various stories:
  • Wuhayshi is 36 and runs al-Qaeda
...

Officials Watching for 'Body Bombs' on Planes

Threat of surgically implanted bombs is real: officials

(Newser) - As the anniversary of the raid that killed Osama bin Laden looms, security for US-bound flights has been stepped up around the world. While authorities say that there is no specific information of an impending attack timed for the anniversary, one threat that officials are watching for is "body...

Underwear Bomber Gets Life in Prison

No surprise after guilty plea

(Newser) - A Nigerian man on a suicide mission for al-Qaeda was sentenced today to life in prison for attempting to blow up an international flight with a bomb in his underwear as the plane approached Detroit on Christmas 2009. The mandatory punishment for Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the well-educated son of a...

No-Fly List Has Doubled to 21K Since Last Year

New standards imposed after attempted 'underwear bombing'

(Newser) - One year ago, the US no-fly list was at about 10,000 names; today, it has more than doubled to around 21,000. The list has been growing at a quick clip ever since the failed Christmas 2009 "underwear bomber" plot , after which the government lowered the standards required...

Underwear Bomber Changes Plea to Guilty

But is unrepentant, calling jihad one of 'the most virtuous acts'

(Newser) - Today was supposed to be the second day of testimony in the trial of alleged “underwear bomber” Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, but instead the 25-year-old Nigerian unexpectedly changed his plea to guilty on all counts, the Detroit Free Press reports. The defiant would-be terrorist read a statement to the court...

Why Underwear Bomber Flew to Detroit: Cheap Fares

Shows break from bin Laden's love of symbolic targets

(Newser) - With 25% of its own residents fleeing Detroit, it might seem like the would-be underwear bomber could have picked a more devastating US target than Motor City. But, as the AP has learned, airplane tickets to considered destinations Chicago or Houston were just too darn expensive, so Umar Farouk...

A Single Tip Now Lands You on Terror Watch List
A Single Tip Now Lands
You on Terror Watch List
THANKS, UNDERWEAR BOMBER

A Single Tip Now Lands You on Terror Watch List

Officials change criteria in Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab's wake

(Newser) - Be careful: The feds learned a lesson from the underwear bomber , and now all it takes is a single tip to land you on the terrorist watch list. Concerns were raised after Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab wasn’t placed on the list, despite his father informing US officials of his son’...

Here's What the Terrorists Are Plotting
 Here's What 
 the Terrorists 
 Are Plotting 
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Here's What the Terrorists Are Plotting

Recent bomb scares give insight into their plan

(Newser) - The Yemen-based mail bomb plot offers new insight into what, exactly, terrorists are planning next. Aviation expert Clive Irving runs down their apparent plan in the Daily Beast :
  • The goal: Blow up a plane over a major US city.
  • The location: Most likely over “the great urban sprawl along
...

Terror Suspect Busted at Dutch Airport

Brits tip off cops about suspect flying from Liverpool

(Newser) - A Somali-born British terrorism suspect from Liverpool was busted in Amsterdam as he sat on a plane waiting to fly to Uganda. Dutch security swooped in after a tip from British authorities. He is suspected of involvement with an unspecified foreign terror organization, reports the Guardian . It wasn't immediately clear...

Accused Underwear Bomber Fires Lawyer

Abdulmutallab asks about entering guilty plea

(Newser) - The man accused of trying to blow up a passenger plane over Detroit with a bomb in his briefs has fired his lawyers and may be preparing to plead guilty. Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, making his first court appearance since January, asked for and received permission to ditch his court-appointed lawyers...

Why There Haven't Been More Bombings Here

Would-be terrorists face multiple obstacles stateside

(Newser) - From the explosives in Umar Abdulmutallab's pants to Faisal Shahzad's smoldering SUV in Times Square, most recent terror attempts in the US have failed spectacularly. Militant groups who regularly and successfully carry out bombings in Afghanistan and Iraq have a much tougher time launching attacks in the US. Dina Temple-Raston...

US Student Held in Yemen Anti-Terror Sweep

30 foreigners with alleged al-Qaeda links nabbed

(Newser) - At least one American student is among dozens of foreigners who have been busted in Yemen for alleged links to al-Qaeda. More than 30 foreign nationals, including a Briton, an Australian, and several French citizens, were arrested after an anti-terror sweep over the last week, according to security officials. Most...

Yemeni Cleric: Kill US Citizens

New al-Qaeda video features US-born cleric

(Newser) - American-Yemeni cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, who is believed to have inspired the Fort Hood shooter and would-be underwear bomber, is advocating the killing of American civilians in an al-Qaeda video released today. "The American people, in general, are taking part in this and they elected this administration and they are...

Underwear Bomber in al-Qaeda Training Video

Also includes 23-year-old Nigerian's martyrdom statement

(Newser) - It would be funny if it wasn't real: Thanks to ABC , you can now watch the would-be underwear bomber shooting automatic weapons somewhere in the desert at the Union Jack, the Jewish star, and the letters UN in a training film just released by al Qaeda in Yemen. The video,...

Whoops! Newt Calls Shoe Bomber American
 Whoops! Newt Calls 
 Shoe Bomber American 
'Daily show' gaffe

Whoops! Newt Calls Shoe Bomber American

Gingrich defends Richard Reid treatment on false grounds

(Newser) - On the Daily Show last night, Newt Gingrich trotted out the oft-repeated GOP complaint that Miranda Rights were read to the Detroit underwear bomber. As he has done before, Jon Stewart pointed out that Richard Reid, the shoe bomber, got the same treatment from George W. Bush's administration. Gingrich quickly...

Look Who Says Bush Was Right on Terror
 Look Who Says Bush 
 Was Right on Terror 
WILLIAM MCGURN

Look Who Says Bush Was Right on Terror

Obama invokes Bush policies as defense in Couric interview

(Newser) - President Obama rolled out a surprising line of defense when Katie Couric quizzed him about civilian trials for terrorists in an interview Sunday, writes William McGurn. "We're not handling any of these cases any different than the Bush administration handled them all through 9/11," Obama insisted. Invoking Bush...

Larry King Better Than Feds at Interrogation: McConnell

Senate's top Republican blasts Obama on terror

(Newser) - Perhaps a little too pumped up by his new 41-59 majority in the Senate, Republican leader Mitch McConnell lashed the Obama administration for allowing would-be Detroit bomber Umar Farouq Abdulmutallab to lawyer up.

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