US sources confirm a file was opened, but say the information did not warrant placing the accused on a "no-fly" list.

SapeleGuy:

This father should be arrested as an accessory. He is looking for cheap sympathy and credibility - why did he not report to the Nigeria Police Force? Onovo should pick him up.

bilymuse:

what else can the father do, US authority must take responsibility for the event.

You cannot blame the US for not taking the threat serious enough.

d) Could the US really have barred a Nigerian, who has NEVER been to America prior and has no solid record of being linked to Al-Qaida on file, from entering the US, without these same people here CRYING foul or racism?

wirinet:

I believed the father is a culpable as the son for many reasons;

1. The father must take responsibility for the up bringing of his son and he must have been brought up with radical Muslim indoctrination.

2. The father is responsible for the boy's extravagant life style, since we are not told the boy is gainfully employed, where is he getting the funding to be traveling everywhere. For him to be able to obtain a US multiple visa, his father must have provide some sort of backing for him.

3. Why did the father not warn the US embassy on the exact nature of the threat, in order words, why did he not provide actionable intelligence instead of the nebulous warning of a threat. Can you truly say that the son had confided in the father the exact nature of those threats.
You cannot blame the US for not taking the threat serious enough.

4. Why did he not report the threat to the Nigerian authorities, preferably the SSS. They would have been a greater security checks on him while he was in Nigeria, especially when he is traveling in and out of Nigeria. The SSS are a quite efficient in monitoring the movements of people (especially enemies of government) in and out of our airports.

The father has some questions to answer.

If the US govt barred everyone they got a complaint about, I am not sure half of the people in the US will be there now

US President Barack Obama has ordered a review of air security measures after a Nigerian man allegedly tried to blow up a trans-Atlantic jet on Christmas Day.

Spokesman Robert Gibbs said the president wanted to know how a man carrying dangerous substance PETN had managed to board a flight in Amsterdam.

He said the system of watch-lists would also be examined after it emerged the man was listed and known to officials.

otawa:

You missed the point!

If your direct relative: mother, father, wife, husband called the US embassy and warm them about you.

I expect them to check their system, cancel any VISA you may have.

The onus would then be for you to show US that your 'direct relative' were wrong with hard evidence.

Obama also acknowledged their system is crappy:

I understand your point but you see, you cannot legally cancel anybody's visa simply becuse a direct relative made a complaint. You forget that the said guy is 23. The guy is a man not underaged. If they cancel his visa, he can sue them.

Mr. Abdulmutallab initially traveled to the U.S. shortly after receiving his 2008 visa, apparently without incident. U.S. officials said they were now looking into his travel itinerary from his initial trip for any information that might inform on his later actions. Mr. Abdulmutallab apparently visited Houston, Texas, said the official

HIO4:

Someone dropped the soap and this knucklehead was able to slip through the cracks. Instead of emphasizing this mistake on the part of the United States, they are busy furthering stereotypes and profiling Nigerians.

otawa:

US is clearly to BLAME!!!


Yes. It was the father of 23yrd old boy that reported and not some stranger to the boy.

The least they could have done is cancel the VISA issue to such boy more so that the father informed them!

The father should actually take American Government to court for negligence

texazzpete:

@kobojunkie
I've seen report that he's Been to the us in 2008 for bout 11 days.

otawa:

US is clearly to BLAME!!!


Yes. It was the father of 23yrd old boy that reported and not some stranger to the boy.

The least they could have done is cancel the VISA issue to such boy more so that the father informed them!

The father should actually take American Government to court for negligence

Kobojunkie:

Father of Detroit would-be bomber warned US

http://www.kwqc.com/Global/story.asp?S=11733079

By MATTHEW LEE and PAMELA HESS
Associated Press Writers
WASHINGTON (AP) - U.S. government officials tell The Associated Press that the Nigerian man charged with trying to destroy a jetliner came to the attention of U.S. intelligence in November when his father went to the U.S. 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 U.S. intelligence reports about four weeks ago as having a connection to both al-Qaida 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.

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed

Skidoc:

I don't see how the bolded bit suggests that he's NEVER been to the US. I find it hard to believe that such a stupendously rich kid has never been to US on holiday or something. It's possible though. Maybe he hates the Americans so much heh.

bilymuse:

what else can the father do, US authority must take responsibility for the event.

Kobojunkie:

Like I said, I am operating under the assumption that he has never been to the US. The report does not mention a prior visit but only states that he was granted a visa back last year and there was not enough evidence to revoke that.

~Sauron~:

You must be very intelligent.
America have to take responsibility for what happened. . . . .Buncha fools!!!
The father did what any good father coulda done. . . . .He reported his son's activities to them and they still let him fly.

otawa:

atleast you could have google:

About the time he graduated, Mr. Abdulmutallab was issued a multiyear visa allowing him to travel to the U.S. A senior U.S. official said there was no "derogatory information" to deny him the visa, nor "any information suggesting his radicalization." He apparently traveled to Houston shortly after receiving the visa, officials say.