Fighting terrorism is not a football game
I was pretty annoyed at the choice of words for the title of a CNN video this week, “A win for al Qaeda?”
In much the same way that “A revolution is not a dinner party…,” fighting international terrorism is NOT a football game. The sobering loss of life that has already occurred should temper the words chosen by media folks who report “the news.”
Two gentlemen speculating, both literally and figuratively “in the dark,” about whether or not the FAILED terrorist bombing attempt on Amsterdam-to-Detroit Northwest Flight 253 this Christmas Day was ACTUALLY linked to al Qaeda (as claimed by the suspect, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab) served no useful purpose whatsoever, and accurately or inaccurately put al Qaeda’s name in the news. I am sure that al Qaeda appreciated the publicity, but hopefully they will not send CNN anything.
(Note added December 30, 2009: The Obama administration, on the other hand, has resisted the urge to link the failed terrorist attempt with al Qaeda. Only today has evidence emerged of a possible link. News media should follow this example and resist the urge to speculate.)
The British-educated (mechanical engineering) 23-year-old Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the son of a retired chairman of the Nigerian bank, First Bank PLC, was released from a hospital in Ann Arbor, MI, today. Abdulmutallab’s father contacted the U.S. Embassy in Nigeria several weeks ago to report that his son had “become radicalized,” according to a U.S. official.
Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab first boarded a KLM flight from Lagos, Nigeria to Amsterday, carrying the plastic explosive PETN (Pentaerythritol tetranitrate). Both Nigerian authorities and KLM, a Northwest partner, say that Abdulmutallab received a secondary security screening, but a U.S. official said Friday that Abdulmutallab was not checked for traces of explosives with a more sensitive test.
PETN was first synthesized in 1891 by Tollens and Wiegand, was patented by the German government, and underwent production in 1912. The German Army used PETN in World War I. PETN was also used in the FAILED terrorism attempt by “shoe bomber” Richard Reid in his attempt to blow up American Airlines Flight 63, from Paris, France to Miami, Florida, in 2001. In addition to PETN, Richard Reid had plastic TATP in his possession.
A passenger on Nortwest Flight 253, Jaspar Schuringa of Amsterdam, Netherlands, said that, with the aid of the cabin crew, he helped to subdue and isolate Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, who was charged yesterday with trying to destroy a plane. Mr. Schuringa’s account of the incident, which was not independently confirmed by CNN, is presented here.
Undoubtedly, in the days ahead, we shall all learn more about the incident. Hopefully, all of those involved in reporting the news will do their best to describe the incident accurately and without sensationalism.
The people of the world deserve that much.
(Note added January 15, 2010: The long arm of Karma has reached out to touch al Qaeda leaders in Yemen who were connected with this attack.)
-Bill at
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