U.S. Says Flight Incident Terrorism Related

U.S. Says Flight Incident Terrorism Related

Authorities say incident Friday involved a small explosion on a flight from Amsterdam to the U.S. city of Detroit

VOA News

U.S authorities say an incident Friday involving a small explosion on a flight from Amsterdam to the U.S. city of Detroit was "an attempted act of terrorism."

Law enforcement sources said a passenger on Northwest Airlines Flight 253 -- operated by Delta -- attempted to ignite an explosive device aboard the aircraft as it was landing.

The plane arrived safely at Detroit Metropolitan Airport carrying 278 passengers, some of whom sustained minor injuries.

Counterterrorism officials say the suspect, a 23-year-old Nigerian named Abdul Mudallad, is being treated in a local hospital.

Some U.S. media have reported that Mudallad claims to be acting on behalf of al-Qaida but officials say it is too early to tell.

White House spokesman Bill Burton said Friday that U.S. President Barack Obama has "instructed that all appropriate measures be taken to increase security for air travel."

Burton said Mr. Obama is is "actively monitoring" the situation from Hawaii where he is vacationing with his family.

U.S. Representative Peter King, a senior member of the congressional Homeland Security Committee, told CNN that Mudallad began his trip in Nigeria and that his name appears in a U.S. intelligence database.

Dutch officials say he arrived at Amsterdam-Schiphol airport on a connecting flight.

A hospital spokeswoman said that one person who had been aboard the aircraft was taken to the University of Michigan Medical Center in Ann Arbor. It is not clear if that person is the suspect.

Airline officials originally thought Mudallad had attempted to light firecrackers.

Some information for this report was provided by AP, Reuters and AFP.