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U.S. moves to remove Nigeria from terror list

Posted by Paul "EFCC" Hawk Adams on April 4, 2010 at 12:01am
U.S. moves to remove Nigeria from terror list
By Chinedu Offor, Correspondent, Washington DC

Pressure by Abuja to get Nigeria off America’s terrorist watch list seems to have paid off as Washington has promised to “revisit the issue.”




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A senior White House official said President Barack Obama could de-list Nigeria as a “goodwill gesture’ to Acting President Goodluck Jonathan when he visits later this month.

Aides disclosed that Obama had discussions with Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, as well as with Justice Department and Homeland Security officials before taking the decision.

The change of heart may have been further encouraged by reports that Nigeria has installed scanners at the airport in Lagos and plans to do so at other exit points, a key requirement by the United States.

Nigeria’s argument was made anew by Adebowale Adefuye, Nigeria’s Ambassador to the U.S., when he presented his letter of credence to Obama at the White House..

Adefuye told Obama that Jonathan asked him “to again convey Nigeria’s shock at this and urge you to revisit this issue as soon as possible.”

He pleaded that the attempt by Farouk Abdulmutallab last December to bomb an American plane was a one-off incident which should not have warranted the classification of Nigeria as a country of interest in the fight against terrorism.

“On our part, we promise our continued co-operation with United States institutions in the fight against terrorism while pledging to sustain ongoing efforts in Nigeria aimed at effectively preventing terrorist networks from operating within our borders as well as West African region,” Adefuye said.

He noted that the U.S., one of Nigeria’s closest allies, has identified with the nation at all times.

“Indeed, the history of Nigeria’s 50 years of statehood will be incomplete without a mention of the proactive role of the United States in supporting us in our quest for sustainable political stability and economic development.

“United States’ interest in our economic and political well-being has been one of the critical factors for the progress recorded in our effort to consolidate our democracy and deliver its dividends to the people of the country.”

As a leader on the African continent, Adefuye added, Nigeria has “consistently worked with the U.S.” in protecting and promoting sustainable global peace and security, and “it is proud of its contributions” to United Nations peace keeping activities.

“This factor has helped in fostering peace and sustainable development on the African continent and has contributed significantly to international peace. An estimated one million Nigerians and Nigerian-Americans live, study, and work in the United States, while over 25,000 Americans live and work in Nigeria.

“These populations have played tremendous roles in enhancing social and economic co-existence for both countries. They have further cemented our relationship by their contributions to sustainable economic and social development in our two countries.”
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US court indicts Nigerian terror suspect Mutallab

Posted by Paul "EFCC" Hawk Adams on January 6, 2010 at 7:03pm
A grand jury has indicted Nigerian bomb suspect Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab accused of trying to blow up a Detroit-bound Northwest Airlines flight on Christmas Day. According to federal documents, the six charges against Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab are: •attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction; •attempted murder within the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States; •willful attempt to destroy and wreck an aircraft within the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States; •willfully placing a destructive device on an aircraft; and •two counts possession of a destructive device in furtherance of a crime of violence. The indictment was filed yesterday. Authorities said Abdulmutallab, 23, was travelling to Detroit from Amsterdam when he tried to blow up the plane carrying nearly 300 people by injecting chemicals into a package of pentrite explosive concealed in his underwear. The failed attack caused popping sounds and flames that passengers and crew rushed to extinguish. Since then, airlines and the Transportation Security Administration have boosted security in airports in the U.S. and around the world. There is no specific mention of terrorism in the seven-page indictment, but President Barack Obama considers the incident a failed strike against the United States by an affiliate of al-Qaida. Abdulmutallab has told U.S. investigators he received training and instructions from al-Qaida operatives in Yemen. His father warned the U.S. Embassy in Nigeria that his son had drifted into extremism in the al-Qaida hotbed of Yemen, but that threat was never fully digested by the U.S. security apparatus. Abdulmutallab He is being held at a federal prison in Milan, Mich. A message seeking comment was left yesterday with his lawyer, Miriam Siefer. nigeria spoke yesterday of its "disappointment" and "concern" over the United States’ listing of this country’s citizens for strict screening at airport. The Federal Government said the US action may affect the two countries’ relations. After reviewing the situation, it resolved that Nigeria does not deserve the inclusion, the government said in Abuja. The suspect Farouk Abdulmutallab, though Nigerian born, has been educated and bred outside Nigeria. Besides, he only transited through Nigeria for less than 30 minutes on the fateful day. Abdulmutallab is accused of attempting to blow up a plane in Detroit, United States, on Christmas Day. Rising from its first Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting of the year presided over by the Vice President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, the government submitted that the US action is capable of undermining US-Nigeria relationship. Minister of Information and Communications Prof Dora Akunyili, with whom were Minister of Power Mr Lanre Babalola and Minister of State for Information and Communications Ikra Bilbis, described the listing of Nigeria as disturbing because Nigeria has signed and ratified nine of the 16 United Nations (UN) and African Union (AU) instruments on counter-terrorism. The minister hinted that the government was strengthening security, with an ordered for the supply of eight body scanners. Farouk, son of prominent banker Alhaji Umaru Mutallab, has reportedly been known for his radical religious views following which his father reported his conduct to Nigerian and United States security agencies. A statement read by Mrs Akunyili said: "The Federal Executive Council (FEC) at the meeting of January 6, 2010 reviewed the events of December 25th and resolved as follows: Nigeria expresses its disappointment and concern over the under served placement of Nigeria on the country of interest list and views this action as having the potential of undermining longstanding and established US-Nigeria bilateral ties and the goodwill the US enjoys in Nigeria. "It is on record that Nigeria has signed and ratified nine of the 16 UN and AU instruments on counter-terrorism dealing with issues ranging from money laundering, drug trafficking, crime, to nuclear terrorism. This is in addition to its various roles in peacekeeping which have earned it international recognition and commendations of the UN. "Nigeria has since December 25 expressed its deep sorrow and dismay over the incident which it condemned in all its ramifications. It is noteworthy that Mr. Farouk Abdulmutallab, though Nigerian-born, has been educated and bred outside Nigeria and only transited through Nigeria for less than 30 minutes on the fateful day where he underwent regular airport security." Mrs Akunyili, in response to a question, said the government has ordered for eight body scanners for the nation’s airports. The scanners are expected to arrive in the country in the next two weeks.
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Al-Qaeda takes responsibility for Umar Farouk "al-Nigiri" (the Nigerian) Mutallab's US terror attempt

Posted by 9jabook.com webmadam on December 28, 2009 at 8:11pm
Al-Qaeda, the infamous terrorist group behind the September 11 US bombings, in which thousands died, on Monday claimed responsibility for the failed Christmas Day attack in which Nigerian Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab tried to blow up an airliner as it landed in Detroit. According to an Internet statement on Islamist websites, the organisation said it had given "Umar Farouk al-Nigiri" (which translates to ‘the Nigerian'), a "technically advanced device" which however failed to work at full capacity. The group claimed the attack was in reaction to U.S. attacks on its Yemen arm. The news corroborates earlier statements credited to Mr. Muttalab during his preliminary interrogation by US authorities On trial Also, on Monday, the United States District Court for the East District of Michigan yesterday cancelled its first hearing on a case filed by the FBI against Mr. Mutallab. No reason was given for the cancellation of the hearing, which was scheduled to hold before U.S. District Judge Paul Borman. "The hearing has been cancelled," said U.S. Attorney's spokesperson Gina Balaya. "I was not given a reason for the cancellation." But media reports state that prosecutors are aiming to get a search warrant to enable them to collect DNA from Mr. Abdulmutallab, who is being held in a federal prison in Michigan. This is presumably to determine if Mr. Abdulmutallab has links to other crimes or terror plots prior to his arrest on December 25. In an affidavit dated December 26, 2009, Special Agent James Peissig of the FBI submitted the facts of the case against Mr. Abdulmutallab as follows: "that Mr. Mutallab was in violation of US Code Title 18, Section 32, which is the destruction of an aircraft or aircraft facilities, or the willful attempt to do so." Bail for Mr. Abdulmutallab is scheduled to be set at a January 8 hearing in Detroit. Tracing the failure Meanwhile, U.S. and British authorities admitted that lapses in visa and airport security systems may have allowed Mr. Abdulmutallab's preparation for his plot to go unnoticed. In a television interview on NBC's Today Show, when asked if the system "failed miserably," U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano replied: "It did. And that's why we are asking - ‘how did this individual get on the plane? Why wasn't the explosive material detected? What do we need to do to change?" The last question referred to the security watch list rules.British Home Secretary Alan Johnson confirmed that Mr. Abdulmutallab had been put on a U.K. watch list after he was refused a student visa following an application to study at a bogus college. But he was still able to get a U.S. visa, which was issued in London. Also, an investigative report by America's CBS News yesterday revealed that the State Department system designed to keep track of active U.S. visas twice failed to reveal that Mr, Abdulmutallab had been issued an active visa allowing him multiple entries into America. "According to a law enforcement source, the first failure came on November 19, 2009, the very same day (Mr.) Abdulmutallab father's, Dr. Umaru Mutallab, a prominent banking official in Nigeria, expressed deep concern to officials at the U.S. Embassy in Abjua, Nigeria, that his 23-year-old son had fallen under the influence of "religious extremists" in Yemen," the report read in part. According to CBS News, "the second failure to flag an active visa belonging to Abdulmuttalab occurred the very next day - November 20 - in Washington after Dr. Mutallab's concerns were forwarded to officials there. It was only after the Christmas Day terror attack in Detroit that U.S. officials learned that Abdulmuttalab had been issued a visa by the U.S. Embassy in London valid from June 16, 2008 through June 12, 2010." Mr. Abdulmutallab was on a broad U.S. terrorist watch list but he was not designated for special screening measures or placed on a no-fly list because of a dearth of specific information about his activities, Ms. Napolitano said. A White House spokesman said President Barack Obama had ordered a review of how suspects' names are added to counter-terrorism watch lists. Amsterdam airport speaks Officials of the Schipol Airport in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, where Mr. Muttalab's flight passed enroute to Detroit, also spoke on the issue. The CNBC reports that "spokesperson Marianne Debie confirmed that the reason the airport does not use scanners on American flights is because the "US government did not approve the use of the machines for American passengers." Ms. Debie also said there is strong opposition to widespread use of the machines by the European Union due to privacy concerns. Germany refuses to use the machines, for instance. She revealed that following the incident, the airport now has 17 scanners, and is working to obtain advanced scanners that are more anonymous. Ms. Debie also said Schipol airport wants to use the scanners everywhere but scanning is voluntary for those subjected to it; officials believe it should not be voluntary.
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