Detroit airline suspect managed to visit U.S. in 2004, 2008 despite security agencies' concerns

[Ian David]

Source: BNO News (Better link pending)

Detroit airline suspect managed to visit U.S. in 2004, 2008 despite security agencies' concerns - NBC News developing
http://twitter.com/BreakingNews/status/7173395296

Read more: http://twitter.com/BreakingNews/status/7173395296

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Waiting for better source, but Associated Press confirms the premise of the story breaking on NBC per BNO News:

Obama promises action on air safety
Fliers are warned of more delays, but some curbs are eased. A State Dept. alert failed to halt suspect's visa.

By Philip Elliott
Associated Press

<snip>

Britain, where Abdulmutallab graduated last year from a London university, refused in May to grant him a subsequent student visa, saying the school on his application form was not a government-approved institution. Home Secretary Alan Johnson said U.S. authorities should have been informed that Abdulmutallab had been placed on the British list and believed that all procedures had been followed correctly.

But there was no apparent effort to revoke his U.S. visa, issued in June 2008 and good for multiple entries over two years. He also visited in 2004 on an earlier visa.

The embassy visit by Abdulmutallab's father triggered a Nov. 20 State Department cable from Nigeria to all U.S. diplomatic missions and Washington headquarters. State Department spokesman Ian Kelly said the National Counteterrorism Center found the information "insufficient to determine whether his visa should be revoked."

Michael Chertoff, homeland security secretary in the Bush administration, said it was a "serious indicator" when a parent went to authorities to discuss concerns about his child, and it "certainly would cause me to ask questions."

More:
http://www.philly.com/philly/news/homepage/80251802.html

[jpak]

1. Yet another Bush systemic failure

n/t

[kestrel91316]

2. Remind me again - WHO was president in 2004 and 2008?

[Ian David]

4. Al Gore and John Kerry. But Bush was in The White House. n/t

[BrklynLiberal]

10. LOL. That's the truth!!!

[marshall]

5. Was the father's embassy visit in November 2008?

I feel sorry for the man, having a son like that.

[Barack_America]

3. Hear that folks? Fill out those forms carefully.

Make a mistake from here on out and you could end up banned from entering the entire Western world.

I'd like to hear how many visa applications Britain turned down last year for similar reasons.

[MetaTrope]

6. Money talks

I wonder if Daddy did any investing in Bush's businesses, a la Salem Bin Laden?

[sendero]

7. As I recall..

... they managed to ground Cat Stevens for a time. Thank heavens they protected us from him!

[RC]

8. I can't help but wonder what with all the dirty tricks

the CIA is involved in and the fact NONE of the criminals from the last administration need to worry about being brought to justice, just how the United States might be involved here. Two wanta be's, same widely known explosive fizzling the same way, for the same basic reason.

[KoKo]

9. Why was he here three times? What did he do when he was here? If he was on "watch list"

this last time...what was his "reason for travel" that it would seem applying for a VISA to US would have asked? If it wasn't educational...was he visiting a relative? Sightseeing for a third time...yet was by then on a WATCH LIST?

Seems weird that we Americans are subjected to horrendous TSA scans...and abuses...yet some folks can get a Visa and come and go without any problems at all? UNTIL........

:shrug: How can this be?

[daleo]

11. His daddy was rich

Maybe other things too.

[Ian David]

12. His father was a rich banker. n/t

[704wipes]

13. Bin Laden visited TX in the 80's too. Used an alias

Tim ------ something or other.
Texas and Terrorism both start with a T.

[Ian David]

14. Tim The Enchanter?

[Spider Jerusalem]

15. So now US security services are expected to be able to predict the future?

Helpful hint: Abdulmutallab's father contacted the US to warn them about his son in...November of this year. There was no reason known at the time of his earlier visits to the US to deny him entry.

[Ian David]

16. He was already on the watch list in 2004. n/t

[damntexdem]

17. But, but, that was under the Bushistas!

How could Darth Cheney have allowed this to happen? ;-)