26 Dec, 2009, America

A Nigerian links to al-Qaeda are being questioned after the attempted act of terrorism on a plane arriving in the US. A 23-year-old man was trying to ignite the explosive device as the passenger jet approached Detroit from Amsterdam in the Netherlands. He was overpowered by about 278 passengers and 11 members of a crew. He also burnt his leg.

The Police in London are searching a house where the man is thought to have lived.

This suspect is believed to have studied at university in city. The President, Barack Obama, on holiday in Hawaii, had ordered the increased security for air travel. Nigeria has ordered its security agencies for investigating the incident and verifying the suspect’s identity and motives.

The name of the Nigerian has yet not been released officially but US officials named him as either Abdul Farouk Abdulmutallab or Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab. He may be the son of prominent Nigerian banker, with his father quoted as saying that he was meeting security officials in the capital Abuja to discuss the arrest.

The preliminary investigation found that the security procedures were followed correctly and the man had a valid US visa as well. The London’s Metropolitan Police said that its officers were liaising with the US authorities. The Officials have described the device as the suspect allegedly tried to ignite as a mixture of powder and liquid that failed to go off properly.