Obama to release first findings from Detroit plot review
January 7th, 2010 - 5:14 am ICT by IANS ( Leave a comment )
Washington, Jan 7 (DPA) US President Barack Obama’s administration Thursday will release an initial review into intelligence failures that led up to the failed Christmas Day attempt to blow up an airliner over Detroit.
White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said the administration would publish a report by John Brennan, Obama’s top homeland security and counterterrorism adviser, which examines intelligence cooperation and the country’s system of terrorism watch lists.
Those watch lists have been at the centre of a debate over the failings that allowed a young Nigerian man to board a plane from Amsterdam Dec 25 and allegedly attempt to ignite explosives as the flight was nearing landing in Detroit.
Obama has slammed his own intelligence community for failing to place the 23-year-old suspect Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab on a no-fly list, despite “red flags” that should have indicated his involvement in a terrorist attack being plotted by Al Qaeda’s arm in Yemen.
Gibbs said Obama may also release some initial information into how airport screening procedures might change as a result of the failed plot.
“The review will simply identify and make recommendations as to what was lacking and what needs to be strengthened,” Gibbs said, calling it an ongoing “dynamic” process.
Obama met with top cabinet members and top security officials Tuesday. Voicing frustration about the security breach, Obama said it was clear that the US intelligence community could have stopped the plot from being carried out.
- Obama to meet security chiefs in wake of Detroit plot - Jan 05, 2010
- Obama admits intelligence system failure, vows to do better - Jan 06, 2010
- Detroit plotter Abdulmutallab pleads not guilty in court - Jan 09, 2010
- Christmas Day plot connects Nigeria, Yemen and Guantanamo - Dec 30, 2009
- Terrorists could target America this festive season: US security officials - Dec 22, 2010
- Obama expects accountability for breach in security - Dec 30, 2009
- Nigerian sets off explosive device on plane; White House calls it terror attempt (Fourth Lead) - Dec 26, 2009
- 20 more terrorists trained in Yemen for attacks: Report - Jan 10, 2010
- US plane attacker out of hospital, held at undisclosed location - Dec 28, 2009
- Obama nominee to head transportation security withdraws - Jan 21, 2010
- Obama vows to keep pressure on Al Qaeda - Jan 28, 2010
- US plane attacker talking a lot - Dec 26, 2009
- Alleged Detroit plotters were ex-Guantanamo inmates: Report - Dec 30, 2009
- Nigerian bomb suspect got visa due to US embassy's blunder - Dec 28, 2009
- John Brennan says that the Christmas bombing attempt wasn't similar to 9/11 - Jan 03, 2010
Tags: airliner, barack obama, cabinet members, christmas day, counterterrorism, farouk, intelligence failures, jan 7, john brennan, landing in detroit, nigerian man, red flags, robert gibbs, s system, screening procedures, security breach, security officials, top security, us intelligence community, white house spokesman