Bombing attempt
On December 25, 2009, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab boarded a flight from Ghana in West Africa to Amsterdam, Netherlands, where he transferred to a Delta flight to Detroit, Michigan, USA. As the plane was approaching Detroit, Mr. Abdulmutallab attempted to ignite his undergarments which contained a type of plastic explosive. Passengers were able to subdue Mr. Abdulmutallab and the plane landed safely in Detroit. On December 28, 2009, al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) claimed responsibility for the attempted bombing of the plane over Detroit. Mr. Abdulmutallab was arrested and later convicted of eight criminal counts, including attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction and attempted murder of 289 people. On February 16, 2012, he was sentenced to life in prison, without the possibility of parole, by a U.S. federal court.
After this incident, it became known that Mr. Abdulmutallab’s father, a former Chairman of the First Bank of Nigeria and the former Nigerian Federal Commissioner for Economic Development, had contacted the American Embassy in Abuja, Nigeria, approximately five weeks prior to his son boarding the flight to Detroit, to inform embassy personnel of his concern about his son’s behavior regarding Islamic extremism. Other information came to light indicating that both the CIA and Britain’s MI5 were aware of Mr. Abdulmutallab and his links to Islamic extremism. At the time of the attempted bombing of the plane on Christmas Day, 2009, the Secretary of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano, stated that “ …once the incident occurred, the system worked. ” She was subsequently roundly criticized for this statement.
Assignment: (Answer all questions)
A threat of this type of attack is very high and remains a serious risk. You are currently employed in the Department of Homeland Security. You are asked to write a report detailing what security breaches occurred in the attempted airline bombing on Christmas Day 2009 and what security measures could have prevented Mr. Abdulmutallab from boarding the Delta flight from Amsterdam to Detroit on December 25, 2009.
This assignment addresses security issues as they relate to overseas airports and flights bound for the United States. We have seen a lot of enhanced security screening within the U.S. over the past few years, but what about overseas airports? Have they kept pace with DHS and TSA upgrades and procedures?
Conduct research to find out as much about this terrorist plot as you can.
Examine how screening is done on overseas flights that connect to flights bound for the United States. How is baggage handled prior to getting loaded onto U.S. bound flights? Are passengers screened again once they land in an airport before boarding a plane for the U.S.?
Try to find out what enhancements in overseas airport security have been made since this incident occurred to prevent something of this nature happening in the future.
Are there specific countries and/or airports overseas that have a particularly poor track record of security? Give some reasons why more security issues occur overseas, such as lack of funding, corruption, etc?
This assignment will be graded on the level of research conducted including state of screening/security in Ghana, Schipol Airport, Amsterdam, individual airline screening in place at the time, level of communication between U.S. federal agencies and foreign intelligence services, and other relevant information. In addition, you should include what recommendations you would make to minimize a future potential threat of this kind on an American airliner or any jetliner bound for the U.S. homeland.
Solution preview for the order on bombing attempt
APA
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