In what could have been a Christmas day horror, Customs and Border Protection officers apprehended a suspected al-Qaeda terrorist who boarded a Northwest flight bound for Detroit from Nigeria with a stop in Amsterdam. The suspect, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, 23, ducked security in Amsterdam by carrying the explosives on his person, possibly sewn into his clothing.

Passengers on flight 253 claim the suspected terrorist began to act suspiciously as the plane commenced its decent into the Detroit region. When travelers heard a popping noise similar to firecrackers and saw flames they wasted no time in subduing the alleged- Nigerian terrorist, holding him down until the plane landed in Detroit.

Former Northwest airline pilot and aviation security expert for the airline, Glen E. Winn explained it was sheer luck this plane didn’t blow up. “This plane was at a critical mode upon the final approach phase where the air inside the aircraft was very unstable. The pilot and crew should be commended for getting the plane onto the runway in one piece.” He goes on to place the blame for this Christmas day incident squarely on the American government. “The system broke down starting with the terror watch list and continued at every check point from Nigeria through Amsterdam.”

“This alleged attack on a U.S. airplane on Christmas Day shows that we must remain vigilant in the fight against terrorism at all times,” Attorney General Eric Holder said. “Had this alleged plot to destroy an airplane been successful, scores of innocent people would have been killed or injured. We will continue to investigate this matter vigorously, and we will use all measures available to our government to ensure that anyone responsible for this attempted attack is brought to justice.”

It is also worth pointing out that President Obama has failed to make an official statement regarding this national security failure. While he and his family vacation and enjoy the beautiful Hawaiian weather, he has chosen to let his senior cabinet members make statements about this incident drawing the ire of many Americans who remain scared to fly as the holiday season winds down. It appears a notable new pattern is emerging with Obama regarding his silence where terrorist activity is concerned though he has shown no hesitation to address any other issue inane or otherwise and regularly requests camera time something his predecessors did not do.

Despite a Nigerian man being able to board a Northwest airliner with explosive chemicals (PETN or pentaerythritol similar to what shoe bomber Richard Reid used) headed for Detroit which is home to the largest concentration of Muslim population (Dearborn-located within minutes of airport) in the country, Secretary of Department of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano said, “The system worked.” [1] Keep reading