Airline Bombing Suspect Caught!!!

[1957]

DH finds European customs, 'not very serious". Minimal questions asked, more or less a "wave through". When he returns to the US however, he is often asked very direct questions; "What was your business abroad". "What kind of physician are you?", "What meeting did you attend"? etc. Most of it is disguised as conversational banter, but they are observing all of the time. He feels that type of questioning is far less in Europe and Italy by far, is the worst in terms of security and customs. In the US, they found an M&M in his pocket during a pat down. The same M&M that was ignored in a European airport.

Wow. Never went through a US "pat down" upon my return to the US from London last year! Was just asked for my Passport and declarations form. No other questions. This was GTW - ATL. Now, going through Security in London was an adventure! Went through a "pat down" there, and had to go through the booth with the air poofs and the wipe-down of my laptop. My n/s flight was on Delta. Very different experience!

 

[bavaria]

Some of you are confusing Customs with Immigration. You pass through Customs when you leave the airport and have collected your luggage. There is no 'questioning' when one departs via the green zone. It sounds like there is also confusion regarding Schengen vs Non-Schengen connections from some of the posters here.

There are often plain clothes customs inspectors at baggage claim at various international airports, including Canada, questioning passengers and asking to see watches, laptops, etc.

And the proposed rules as of this morning re the last hour of flying time were in regards to international flights TO the US, not domestic US flights.

I cannot morally support any system which uses profiling.

And again, I point out that this person was on a watch list yet was issued a US visa. That is a problem.

 

[Disneyadore]

DH finds European customs, 'not very serious". Minimal questions asked, more or less a "wave through". When he returns to the US however, he is often asked very direct questions; "What was your business abroad". "What kind of physician are you?", "What meeting did you attend"? etc. Most of it is disguised as conversational banter, but they are observing all of the time. He feels that type of questioning is far less in Europe and Italy by far, is the worst in terms of security and customs. In the US, they found an M&M in his pocket during a pat down. The same M&M that was ignored in a European airport.

Not very serious?
As I deal with customs on almost a daily base I can assure you they are more than strict and take there job very very serious. In fact they make me crazy sometimes with the enforcement of there rules.
And how good the controls are there will always be morons that will slip through. This time it was an adult next time the put something in a baby's diaper and who looks in a diaper?


BTW I think it would be nice to chip in a few bucks for the person that stopped the attacker and put out the fire. He lost his shoes in the struggle and yes the was (proud proud ) a Dutch young man.

And than some food for the the mind. After 01-11 the world has become a prison. Not political but we ALL are more or less put behind sometimes real and often virtual bars.
America has become a bastion every tourist has to storm and take in. It's almost a victory if you get a yes on your ESTA form and that makes me sad. I do understand op course Europe is the same but you know yesterday I heard people singing "the land of the brave and free "and my hart was full of pain.

 

[DebbieB]

Some of you are confusing Customs with Immigration. You pass through Customs when you leave the airport and have collected your luggage. There is no 'questioning' when one departs via the green zone. It sounds like there is also confusion regarding Schengen vs Non-Schengen connections from some of the posters here.

There are often plain clothes customs inspectors at baggage claim at various international airports, including Canada, questioning passengers and asking to see watches, laptops, etc.

And the proposed rules as of this morning re the last hour of flying time were in regards to international flights TO the US, not domestic US flights.

I cannot morally support any system which uses profiling.

And again, I point out that this person was on a watch list yet was issued a US visa. That is a problem.

So in Amsterdam, do you have to be rescreened if you are just connecting (before this incident)? Can't seem to get an answer on whether this guy was checked again in Amsterdam. Plus there's the issue of screening methods. If it was just a metal detector, it would not have picked up explosives.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

This is an inconvenience for adults. This will be very cumbersome for parents with small children; toddlers that need to use the bathroom, babies that need bottles, etc.

I agree. While I will continue to follow any rules, that seems a bit extreme, especially for parents with small children. And really, I don't see how the last hour makes as any more safe then the first hours of the flight.

 

[bavaria]

So in Amsterdam, do you have to be rescreened if you are just connecting (before this incident)? Can't seem to get an answer on whether this guy was checked again in Amsterdam. Plus there's the issue of screening methods. If it was just a metal detector, it would not have picked up explosives.

For non-Schengen departures security checks are done at the gate for all passengers and then passengers are essentially allowed into a 'holding area' at the gate. This is not the random, cursory check performed by TSA at the gate in past and at random recently. It is a physical check as well as a verbal interview for US flights.

 

[DawnCt1]

Wow. Never went through a US "pat down" upon my return to the US from London last year! Was just asked for my Passport and declarations form. No other questions. This was GTW - ATL. Now, going through Security in London was an adventure! Went through a "pat down" there, and had to go through the booth with the air poofs and the wipe-down of my laptop. My n/s flight was on Delta. Very different experience!

Pat down is in security prior to boarding in the US, not customs or immigration. I was comparing security. He has been patted down in Europe by security but not as thoroughly as in the US.

 

[bavaria]

More than 20 years ago after PA103 international airports put strict measures into place for flights to the US. Yet those same measures were not put into place for domestic US flights, and many things that I noted earlier were allowed to continue until 9/11 (ie non passengers in the gate area, for instance)

Positive bag match, limited terminal access, individual interviews have all been in place around the world for more than two decades, but have not been in place in America for the same amount of time.

 

[Disneyadore]

So in Amsterdam, do you have to be rescreened if you are just connecting (before this incident)? Can't seem to get an answer on whether this guy was checked again in Amsterdam. Plus there's the issue of screening methods. If it was just a metal detector, it would not have picked up explosives.

According to the port authorities he was screened again in Amsterdam.

 

[Disneyadore]

Pat down is in security prior to boarding in the US, not customs or immigration. I was comparing security. He has been patted down in Europe by security but not as thoroughly as in the US.

The whole matter boils down to one item. He was not on the authorities radar when he applied for his visa although his own father told he was very surprised because his son was "extreme" in his belief.
And how on earth did he get access to the US with a one way ticket?

Heres a link to our newspaper. Hope you can translate it.
http://www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/...verdachte_is_zoon_oud-minister___.html?p=12,2

 

[ClareH37]

It is now being confirmed by UK government that the 'bomber' was refused a UK visa back in May (i.e. he applied for a 'bogus' university course and the authorities would not grant him a visa to enter Britain), yet he was able to obtain a US visa!?

That explains why he flew from Amsterdam to the US, he was not allowed to enter the UK.

Sorry to say but it sounds like a serious slip up by the US authorities in granting him a visa when he was refused one by the UK, unless of course he already had the US visa before he applied for the UK visa, which would then perhaps explain why he was on the 'watch list', either way someone somewhere messed up, regardless of the visa issue this guy was on a 'watch list'.

 

[ClareH37]

A further update from the BBC:

"The father, a top Nigerian banker, warned US authorities last month about 23-year-old Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab's extreme views, say officials.

US sources confirm a file was opened, but say the information did not warrant placing the accused on a "no-fly" list. "

 

[ford family]

According to this morning's newspapers, flights from the UK to the US may have the in flight entertainment switched off because the moving map service could help a terrorist to time his attack!
To help with this obfuscation I guess the updates to passengers from the flight deck, telling the cabin crew how long to landing and distributing the final meal service will all have to stop.
Perhaps all watches etc will have to be confiscated during the flight?
If the windows were blacked out would that also help prevent a terrorist knowing the plane was over the US?
I wonder if FedEx will start flying people in the relative comfort now afforded to packages?

ford family

 

[DawnCt1]

The whole matter boils down to one item. He was not on the authorities radar when he applied for his visa although his own father told he was very surprised because his son was "extreme" in his belief.
And how on earth did he get access to the US with a one way ticket?

Heres a link to our newspaper. Hope you can translate it.
http://www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/...verdachte_is_zoon_oud-minister___.html?p=12,2

Sewn into his underwear. If someone wanted to do this again, they could be successful. His own father, as you said, notified the state department via the US embassy at least six months ago. He wasn't just "anybody" with a grudge but the guy's father who happens to be a very prominent banker in Nigeria. Why was his concerns dismissed? I hope political correctness isn't preventing authorities for taking closer looks.
I don't have a problem with "profiling" in these cases. If it were red headed Irish nuns blowing up planes and attempting to kill people, I would want them profiled too.

 

[DawnCt1]

According to this morning's newspapers, flights from the UK to the US may have the in flight entertainment switched off because the moving map service could help a terrorist to time his attack!
To help with this obfuscation I guess the updates to passengers from the flight deck, telling the cabin crew how long to landing and distributing the final meal service will all have to stop.
Perhaps all watches etc will have to be confiscated during the flight?
If the windows were blacked out would that also help prevent a terrorist knowing the plane was over the US?
I wonder if FedEx will start flying people in the relative comfort now afforded to packages?

ford family

Put a stamp on our foreheads and mail ourselves. Almost sounds better. Its time to adopt Israel's policies. Does anyone think that a Palastinian would board El Al without secondary screening?

 

[melly]

As for the innocent people on terrorist watch lists, too bad for them. This is the time we live in, and if you're on a watch list, your name should trigger an automatic pat down, interview, and second screening at the gate area.

that would kinda blow the cover of them being on the watch list. Im pretty sure they arent supposed to know about it.

The fact is the watch list is just a list of people who fall under certain criteria, most will have done nothing wrong nor will they ever do anything wrong. If your gonna ban them from flying you might as well ban everyone from flying and declare a massive success that no one will ever commit another terrorist attack on a plane.

As for the innocent people on terrorist watch lists, too bad for them. .

Im sure you'd be saying that if it was you.

 

[shrubber]

He wasn't just "anybody" with a grudge but the guy's father who happens to be a very prominent banker in Nigeria. Why was his concerns dismissed? I hope political correctness isn't preventing authorities for taking closer looks.
.

Hey, I just got an email from a prominent Nigerian banker.....weird.

 

[DawnCt1]

Hey, I just got an email from a prominent Nigerian banker.....weird.

I have gotten a few of those myself but this was a "prominent Nigerian banker who was known world wide and was credible, extremely rich and by all accounts, a decent man. It can't be easy to turn your own son in.