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IHS Jane's: Defense & Security Intelligence & Analysis
 

Mind the gap - US intelligence reacts to Detroit bomb plot

2/18/2010

US President Barack Obama's holiday in Hawaii was rudely interrupted on 25 December 2009 when news broke that a young Nigerian man had tried to blow up Northwest Airlines Flight 253 from Amsterdam as it came in to land at Detroit airport. A disaster was averted only by the quick action of the passengers and crew and the failure of the explosive device to work properly. Yet the narrowness by which the attack was averted immediately raised questions about the effectiveness of the United States intelligence community, and particularly the extent to which reforms introduced after the 11 September 2001 attacks have improved the capability of US intelligence agencies to track and deter potential strikes on the US.

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Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab was charged with attempting to blow up a Detroit-bound Northwest Airlines plane on 25 December 2009. Abdulmutallab pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab was charged with attempting to blow up a Detroit-bound Northwest Airlines plane on 25 December 2009. Abdulmutallab pleaded not guilty to the charges.(PA)

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