More bombers are on their way to target America, the Nigerian Al-Qaeda suspect charged for trying to blow up a US airliner has told FBI, setting alarm bells among intelligence and security apparatus in Washington.
Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab told FBI that "there were more just like him in Yemen and would strike soon," the ABC News reported quoting officials familiar with the investigation.
A tape released by Al-Qaeda leaders in Yemen some four days before the failed attempt to blow up the US plane, had said that "we are carrying bomb to hit the enemies of God".
Abdulmutallab, 23, has been charged with attempting to blow up the US plane and planting an explosive device on it.
He was arrested soon after his failed bid to ignite explosives inside the Amsterdam-Detroit Northwest Airlines flight 253 on Christmas Day with nearly 300 people on board.
The explosive was identified as PETN -- pentaerythritol tetranitrate – which was concealed in his underwear.
According to news reports, Abdulmutallab has told FBI that he was trained for more than a month in Yemen, given 80 grams of a high explosive cleverly sewn into his underpants, that went undetected by standard security screening.
{{/usCountry}}According to news reports, Abdulmutallab has told FBI that he was trained for more than a month in Yemen, given 80 grams of a high explosive cleverly sewn into his underpants, that went undetected by standard security screening.
{{/usCountry}}"They know that this is a weakness and an Achilles' heel in our airport security system," said ABC News consultant and former counterterrorism czar Richard Clarke.
Federal authorities met today to reassess the system of terror watchlists to determine how to avoid the lapse that allowed a man with explosives to board flight even though he was flagged as a possible terrorist, CBS news said.