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White House Believes NW Incident An Attempted Act Of Terrorism

Ben Frumin | December 25, 2009, 7:13PM

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A White House official tells TPM that the White House believes the incident today on a Northwest Airlines flight in which a passenger reportedly tried to detonate an explosive device was an attempted act of terrorism.

Earlier, Deputy Press Secretary Bill Burton made the following announcement about the incident:

The President was notified of the incident this morning between 9:00 and 9:30 Hawaii time by the President's military aide. The President subsequently convened a secure conference call with John Brennan, his Homeland Security and Counter-terrorism Adviser, and Denis McDonough, NSS Chief of Staff. He asked to arrange a subsequent secure call and in that call instructed that all appropriate measures be taken to increase security for air travel. The President is actively monitoring the situation and receiving regular updates. There is currently no change to his schedule.

Late Update: Aides also say that Obama appreciates the actions of the crew and the passengers.

The Department of Homeland Security said in a statement there may be new screening procedures in place this weekend, though the threat level will remain unchanged.

Officials are not disclosing the specific measures.

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9 comments

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bogglesthemind

December 25, 2009 10:01 PM

"The President is actively monitoring the situation . . ."

Wait, wait, wait, after having set a new tradition during the Bush Cartel's time in power, isn't this where the president goes on vacation?

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warbaby

December 26, 2009 1:09 AM

You have to worry about follow-on attacks in this sort of situation. AQ has a pattern of simultaneous attacks.

I note that this was another instance where the security net failed at all but the last instance: emergent responders. That is to say citizens defending their country like true patriots.

A last minute save is still a save. One more for the good guys, and that's us. All of us.

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pl3bian

December 26, 2009 2:09 AM in reply to warbaby

"I note that this was another instance where the security net failed at all but the last instance: emergent responders."

Perhaps the security net actually succeeded by stopping the other simultaneous attacks you mentioned.

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warbaby

December 26, 2009 11:04 AM in reply to pl3bian

If that's the case, they have to say so. No credit for scaring away invisible tigers.

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Lulu Strauss

December 26, 2009 11:23 AM in reply to warbaby

Hey warbaby, every brave act is not an act of patriotic courage done in the furtherance of some war. The passengers who stopped the attack may or may not have been patriots. Odds are they they are patriotic. To some country.
It was an international flight, Some or all of the passengers who responded may have been citizens of other countries.
My point is that when someone jumped out of their seat and took on the wannabe bomber they were almost certainly not thinking, "Oh no, my country is in danger, I must act to save it". People don't think that way in the heat of the moment, not even soldiers under attack or in the act of attacking. The passengers acted to save themselves and the people in their immediate surroundings. I'm glad they were successful and believe that they can be proud of themselves even if they are not Americans.

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