Believe it or not, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said “the system worked” on Sunday’s Today show on NBC. It’s unfathomable how she came to that conclusion unless she thinks a faulty detonator and heroic Dutch tourist are now part of the homeland security system. Here’s what didn’t work.
- Abdul Farouk Abdulmutallab was issued a religious visa last June, valid through next June
- His name was in the TIDE database (Terrorist Identities Datamart Environment)
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) maintains its own, separate Terrorist Watchlist
- Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is responsible for the “No Fly” list
- TSA also has a “Selectee” list for additional screening
- Although Abdulmutallab’s name was in TIDE, it wasn’t on the FBI or either TSA lists
- He had travelled to Yemen several times
- United Kingdom authorities barred Abdulmutallab’s second student visa and blacklisted him due to a fake institution
- Despite his father reporting concerns of Abdulmutallab’s “radicalization”, his visa was not revoked nor did his name get to the FBI and TSA lists
- Abdulmutallab bought his ticket in Ghana with cash
- He checked in with only a small carry-on bag
- Current airport security measures are inadequate to catch explosives, but Schiphol in Amsterdam has 16 sniffers
- Authorities did not put Abdulmutallab through an explosives sniffer nor swab him; either process, or bomb-sniffing dogs, should have detected his PETN explosive
In view of all those red flags and missed opportunities, Napolitano back-pedaled, admitting the system “failed in every respect”. Ya think? The ever-clueless Homeland Security Secretary also said Abdulmutallab’s case was an isolated incident. Pres. Obama said the same thing. Napolitano said there was no indication he was acting as part of a larger plot or group. Funny, that’s not how al-Qaida sees it. Yesterday, al-Aqaida in the Arabian Peninsula claimed responsibility.
The terrorist group, formed from merging Yemeni and Saudi al-Qaida cells, claimed to have provided the explosive and chemical detonator for Abdulmutallab’s failed suicide bombing. Al-Qaida in the Arabian Penninsula also said the attempt was in retaliation for US assistance to Yemeni authorities. On Dec. 17 and 23, airstrikes were launched against suspected terrorist targets in Yemen. The only problem with al Qaida’s claim? Abdulmutallab bought his ticket the day before the first strike. But, then, certainly al-Qaida wouldn’t lie, would they?
More importantly, however, Abdulmutallab bragged he is the first of many such terrorists. Apparently he claims there are 25 Somali and Pakastani Muslims in Yemen, all of whom were radicalized at British mosques. They’re training up to mount similar attacks on western airliners. British and US authorities are supposedly working together on this. I hope the Brits hit Homeland Security upsdie the head when the planets start to align. We were lucky with Flight 253. We shoulnd’t expect that luck to hold out.
