Al-Qaeda Claims Responsibility

•US admits security failure

Al Qaeda has claimed responsibility for the failed bomb attack by 23-year old Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab last Friday, saying it was in retaliation for alleged United States strike on Yemeni soil. Also, the US government has admitted that security lapses on its part resulted in the failed terrorist plot. Besides, the family of Abdulmutallab who is currently awaiting trial in the US has pledged to co-operate fully with local and international security agencies.

Abdulmutallab had weekend told security officials in the US that he was acting on instruction from Al-qaeda. And for the first time yesterday, the organization claimed responsibility. US Homeland Security Chief Janet Napolitano issued a statement saying the system failed on this particular incident to detect the terror suspect. Her admission is coming after she came under heavy attack from top Republicans who faulted an earlier assertion from her that the American system is working. “Our system did not work in this instance. No one is happy or satisfied with that. An extensive review is under way,” said Napolitano in a fresh statement issued Monday. The lawmakers had raised questions on why Abdulmutallab was allowed to fly or was not subjected to more scrutiny upon boarding his flight to Detroit despite his name being on a watch list. Rep.

Peter King of New York, a top Republican on the Homeland Security Committee stated: "It's not reassuring when the secretary of Homeland Security says the system worked. It failed in every respect." The British Home Secretary, Alan Johnson also faced criticism after suggesting such information should have been passed to the US but it is not routine for that to happen if someone is turned down on immigration issues rather than because of suspected links to terrorism. Johnson also said he did not believe that Mutallab was acting alone and that police and security services were examining whether he was radicalised while at University College London (UCL) between 2005 and 2008. US President Barack Obama has spoken for the first time since the alleged bombing attempt calling on Americans to be vigilant but confident. "We will not rest until we find all who were involved and hold them accountable,’’ he said from his Hawaii, where he is on holiday.

"This was a serious reminder of the dangers that we face and the nature of those who threaten our homeland." He has ordered a fresh review of screening processes to discover whether the authorities should have taken more heed of warnings about the threat the suspect posed. He also ordered investigation into how travelers are placed on watch lists and how passengers are screened. He said security screening had been increased and federal air marshalls had been deployed on all flights into and out of the US. US Federal authorities met yesterday to reassess the nation's system of terror watch lists to determine how to avoid the type of lapse that allowed a man with explosives to board a flight to the US even though he was on a watch list. Meanwhile, the Mutallab family would co-operate with security officials at home in Nigeria and abroad, according to a statement issued yesterday. “The family will continue to fully cooperate with local and international security agencies towards the investigation of this matter, while we await results of the full investigation.

“We, along with the whole world, are thankful to Al-Mighty God that there were no lives lost in the incident. May God continue to protect us all, amen,” part of the statement read. The family went on to explain what had transpired in the past couple of months. “Prior to this incident, his father, having become concerned about his disappearance and stoppage of communication while schooling abroad, reported the matter to the Nigerian security agencies about two months ago, and to some foreign security agencies about a month and a half ago, then sought their assistance to find and return him home. “We provided them with all the information required of us to enable them do this.

We were hopeful that they would find and return him home. It was while we were waiting for the outcome of their investigation that we arose to the shocking news of that day. “The disappearance and cessation of communication which got his mother and father concerned to report to the security agencies are completely out of character and a very recent development, as before then, from very early childhood, Farouk, to the best of parental monitoring, had never shown any attitude, conduct or association that would give concern. As soon as concern arose, very recently, his parents, reported it and sought help.” Reports say Farouk told his parents that he wanted to enroll in a summer course to learn Arabic in Yemen, which was approved by his father. His family was however alarmed when he announced his decision to stay on in that country and abandon his postgraduate course at Dubai University. He subsequently severed contact with his family.

Attempts to re-connect with him failed until the shocking news of his attempt to blow up a Northwest Delta Detroit-bound Airline on Christmas day. He boarded a KLM flight from Lagos to Amsterdam from where he changed to the Delta flight. Abdulmutallab had a multiple-entry visa to the US and had been added to a watch list of 550,000 potential terrorist threats after the information provided by his father was forwarded to the National Counter-Terrorism Center. He has been formally charged in the US. His hearing will take place on January 8, 2010.