The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has linked Farouk Abdumutallab, the 25-year-old Nigerian who was recently sentenced by a US court for trying to bomb a Detriot-bound airline on the December 25, 2009, with the attempt made by Al-Qeada to bomb a commercial airliner in the country on Monday.
Speaking on the bomb attempt of the terror group that was thwarted by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) on Monday, the FBI said in a statement that the device found on the suspect who is now in custody came from the same source as the one found on Farouk Mutallab in 2009.
“A similar device was found on Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the al Qaeda operative who attempted to set off his deadly ordnance over Detroit in 2009”
“The device never presented a threat to public safety, and the U.S. government is working closely with international partners to address associated concerns with the device,” the statement added.
It would be recalled that the Central Intelligence Agency {CIA} on Monday broke up an attempt by al Qaeda to blow up a commercial airliner destined for the United States.
CIA agents uncovered the plot, in which an al Qaeda suicide bomber planned to detonate explosives concealed in his underwear once the airliner crossed over into American airspace.
The attack was intended to coincide with the first anniversary of Osama bin Laden’s death. President Obama was first informed of the impending attack in April by White House counterterrorism Chief John Brennan, Deputy National Security Council spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden said in a statement during the week.
Since then, the president “has received regular updates and briefings as needed from his national security team” on the ongoing investigation, she said.
“The president was assured that the device did not pose a threat to the public andhe directed the Department of Homeland Security and law enforcement and intelligence agencies to take whatever steps necessary to guard against this type of attack,” Hayden added.
News of the terrorist plot comes after a heated political debate surrounding the anniversary of bin Laden’s death.
The would-be bomber was based in Yemen and had not bought a ticket when CIA agents stepped in and took the bomb, according to reports.
White House official said that the bomber was advised to board any U.S.-bound flight and detonate the explosives at his discretion.
However, FBI agents have recovered the device and are conducting a battery of technical and forensic tests, according to a bureau statement issued Monday night.
“Initial exploitation indicates that the device is very similar to bombs that have been used previously by A- Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula in attempted terrorist attacks, including against aircraft and for targeted assassinations,” the statement said.
The Department of Homeland Security has not picked up any “specific or credible information” of additional terror plots targeted at the United States tied to the foiled bombing attempt, DHS spokesman Matt Chandler said Monday.
However, the department is implementing “a risk-based, layered approach to ensure the security of the traveling public,” including threat and vulnerability analysis, pre-screening and screening of passengers, random airport searches and federal air marshal coverage, according to Chandler.
Recently declassified letters found by U.S. special operations forces in bin Laden’s Pakistani hideout show the al Qaeda chieftain was plotting an attack against Obama and Gen. David Petraeus, the former U.S. commander in Afghanistan.
He wanted to target the airplanes that were known to be carrying the two U.S. leaders, according to the letters.