Still a Threat

Just biding their time:

• A Nigerian man who said he was an agent for al-Qaida tried to blow up a Northwest Airlines plane Friday as it was preparing to land in Detroit, but travelers who smelled smoke and heard what sounded like firecrackers rushed to subdue him, the passengers and federal officials said.
  
  Flight 253 with 278 passengers and 11 crew members aboard was about 20 minutes from the airport when passengers heard popping noises, witnesses said. At least one person climbed over others and jumped on the man. Shortly afterward, the suspect was taken to the front of the plane with his pants cut off and his legs burned, a passenger said.
  
  One U.S. intelligence official said the explosive device was a mix of powder and liquid. It failed when the passenger tried to detonate it.

Sadly, this is what air travel has come to. You never know who, what or when these assholes are going to use or come up with. We have to trust in their incompetence in making homemade explosives to remain safe when flying.

Here's some really bad timing though:

• Tuesday, December 22, 2009 11:19 PM EST
  
  JOHNSTOWN — U.S. Rep. John Murtha told reporters Tuesday that he isn't convinced al-Qaida is still a threat to national security.

Ouch, bad timing there John.