Sky news has just reported that:
US Authorities have now charged Umar Farouk AbdulMutallab with attempt to destroy a Northwest Airline.

The report goes further to state that preliminary analysis indicate the device contained highly explosive substance called pentearythritol

Breaking News8:52pm UK, Saturday December 26, 2009
US Plane 'Bomb Plot': Nigerian Charged
Jon di Paolo, Sky News Online




A 23-year-old Nigerian man has been charged with trying to blow up a packed passenger jet just before landing at Detroit airport.

Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab is charged with attempting to destroy the aircraft and with placing a destructive device on the plane.

British police are carrying out searches in the UK after the London student, suspected of being an al Qaeda operative, allegedly attempted to blow up a US plane.

He was enrolled until recently and is accused of trying to blow up the transatlantic passenger jet, with explosives strapped to his leg, as it landed on Christmas Day.

A University College London spokesman has confirmed that Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab was enrolled on a mechanical engineering course between September 2005 and June 2008.

The Nigerian man caused panic as the jet was about to land at Detroit with 278 people aboard when he apparently tried to detonate some sort of bomb.

Overpowered by passengers and crew after the device failed to ignite properly, sources have since told Sky News that his device was apparently hidden during transit in a pillow.

He had flown from Lagos, Nigeria on KLM to Amsterdam's Schipol airport and transferred to Northwest Airlines - which is merging with Delta Air Lines - for the nine-hour flight to Detroit in an Airbus A330-300.


Security sources tell Sky that the man was not apparently known to the security services but police are checking his upmarket London address and other UK connections.

A Nigerian banker is meeting with police as his son may be the alleged bomber.

Alhaji Umaru Mutallab confirmed his 23-year-old son may be the man connected with the failed plot.

He said his son left London - where he was a student - to travel, though he did not know where to.

Mr Mutallab said: "I believe he might have been to Yemen, but we are investigating to determine that."

His son had applied for a US entry visa to ostensibly attend a religious seminar.

An official briefed on the attack said the US had known for at least two years that the suspect could have terrorist ties - but he was not on the "no-fly list".

After being arrested Abdul Mutallab claimed to have been acting on instructions from al Qaeda.

He later told authorities that he had used a syringe filled with chemicals to mix with powder taped to his leg, according to senior officials quoted anonymously in the US media.

Politician Peter King of New York, the senior Republican on the House of Representatives Homeland Security Committee, said the explosive device was "fairly sophisticated".



Suspect's upmarket London home

"(The device) appears to be different from what we've encountered before," Mr King told Fox News.

"When it did go off he himself was seriously injured, my understanding is he has third-degree burns - this could have been catastrophic."

President Barack Obama convened a high-level meeting and the White House called it "an attempted act of terrorism."

Meanwhile, passengers can now expect more detailed inspections after US authorities ordered airlines worldwide to tighten security and reduce carry-on luggage allowance.

A representative for British Airways released the following statement: "The United States government has revised its security arrangements for all passengers travelling into the US.

"This includes additional screening of all US-bound passengers and hand luggage before they board their flights, this applies to all carriers.



US planes still load at Schipol

"Passengers travelling to the US will only be allowed to carry one item of hand luggage.

"We apologise to passengers for any delays to their journeys. Safety and security are our top priorities and will not be compromised."

A spokeswoman for BAA added that British passengers should adjust airport arrival plans.

"To support this important process, which will take time, we would advise passengers to leave more time to check in, If in any doubt, please contact the relevant airline for further information."

That fool should be prepared to spend the rest of his life in Jail!

Yes. It looks like it is going to be life cos that is the penalty for the offence he has been charged for.

something must have gone wrong behind the scenes. Things dont just go wrong like this. It must have taken a whole lot of time plus the guy must be someone who had or at least believed he had something to gain from what he did.