On December 25th, 2009, Umar Farouk
Abdulmutallab, a Nigerian tried to detonate an
explosive aboard a Northwest Flight 253 over
Detroit in the United States of America. As the
son of one of Nigeria’s most prominent
businessmen and someone who had access to
international travel and a world-class
education, his terrorist act took Nigeria by
surprise.
Umar has since been sentenced to life
imprisonment without parole. However, the FBI
has recently revealed the reason why
the explosives failed to go off.
During his trial he said the bomb in his underwear
was a ‘blessed weapon’ to avenge poorly treated
Muslims around the world.
Two FBI agents told WXYZ TV that Umar
confessed to the plot, saying that he had worn
the explosive underwear for three weeks in order
to get used to it and make sure he could get it
through security.
“So basically for three weeks he wore this
garment, these underwear with this device in
it. We think ultimately that is probably what
caused the disruption in the sequence of events
in the explosion,” said FBI agent Ted Peissig.
The agents also revealed that Umar was not
recruited by al Qaeda, but the other way around.
“He sought out al Qaeda relentlessly,” another FBI
agent on the case, Mike Connelly said. “He
persisted and he was almost turned away at
times, you know, by al Qaeda. But he refused to
relent.”
FBI agents also say the Underwear Bomber might
have inadvertently foiled his own plot because of
his obsession about making sure the bomb would
not be detected. They further revealed that he
had been instructed to detonate the bomb over a
populated area to maximize the death toll.
Here is the account of the FBI agents as reported
by WXYZ TV
In Abdulmutallab’s mind it was an act of
martyrdom and jihad. He had no feelings for the
men, women and children around him who were
about die, according to the FBI agents.
“He did not bat an eye in saying if that plane was
going to go down, it was going to go down. That
was God’s call. That wasn’t his call. His
responsibility was just to detonate the bomb, and
whatever happened, happened,” says agent
Connelly.
As the huge jumbo jet carrying over 300 people
was approaching Detroit, Abulmutallab
disappeared into the restroom to wash himself, a
ritual for his passage into the next life. When he
returned to his seat he told the guy sitting next
to him that he wasn’t feeling well.
“And pulled a blanket almost completely
concealing himself up to the chin,” says Agent
Peissig.
Using a plastic syringe, Abdulmutallab injected a
mixture of liquids and solids into the explosive
chemicals already packed into his underwear.
But Instead of exploding, the bomb burst into
flames, setting his clothes and the blanket on fire,
seriously burning him.
The two agents who visited Nigeria during the
course of his investigation said they extracted
detailed and chilling information about
Abdulmutallab and his mission, getting a rare
glimpse into the mind of a suicide bomber.
“In his tone, his conversation, he’s very
reserved,” adds agent Connelly. “He’s deliberate
in his speech.”
“The witnesses remarked about how he just
looked like a simple young school boy,” says
Peissig.
But appearances don’t match reality in the case
of Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab. Agents say he
was an extreme fanatic and a very dangerous
man.
He was hell-bent on taking down a jumbo jet over
Detroit with no consideration for the hundreds
who would die in the plane and on the ground.
“He is completely different from any terrorist that
I’ve had the ability to talk to,” explains Connelly.
“Different because of his absolute devotion to
Jihad. The degree of conviction that he had to the
cause is unparalleled.”
We are glad his attempt to kill innocent people
was foiled.
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