Close call
Photo: Reuters
Father of Detroit would-be bomber warned US
Father of Nigerian man suspected of being connected with al-Qaeda went to the US embassy in Abuja, Nigeria, to express his concerns about his son
US government officials tell The Associated Press that the Nigerian man charged with trying to destroy a jetliner came to the attention of US intelligence in November when his father went to the US embassy in Abuja, Nigeria, to express his concerns about his son.
A congressional official said Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, a 23-year-old Nigerian, popped up in US intelligence reports about four weeks ago as having a connection to both al-Qaeda and Yemen.
Another government official said Abdulmutallab's father went to the embassy in Abuja with his concerns, but did not have any specific information that would put him on the "no-fly list" or on the list for additional security checks at the airport.
Neither was the information sufficient to revoke his visa to visit the United States. His visa had been granted June 2008 and was valid through June 2010. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity because neither was authorized to speak to the media.
