— After meeting this afternoon with top security aides, President Obama
is scheduled to announce tougher airline security measures in response
to a failed attempt to blow up a jetliner bound for
Obama will meet with representatives of 20 agencies,
including the departments of Homeland Security, the CIA and FBI before
unveiling the new steps this afternoon. Airlines have already been
ordered to step up searches in the wake of the
Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, 23, who has said he was
recruited by al-Qaida operatives, is in federal custody, charged with
trying to destroy the
Abdulmutallab was subdued by passengers and crew and the plane landed safely.
But the incident has set off a firestorm of
criticism as Republicans have blamed the Obama administration for
reacting too slowly and have questioned the effectiveness of existing
security protocols.
Obama, who was on vacation in
ordered two probes, the first into how the materials were smuggled
through security and a second into how the watch lists of potential
terrorists are maintained.
Abdulmutallab’s father, a prominent Nigerian banker,
had warned authorities that his son was being radicalized, but
Abdulmutallab was not added to the no-fly list and allowed to keep his
U.S. visa.
On security issues, the TSA has already has directed airlines to give full-body, pat-down searches to U.S.-bound travelers from
Dozens of names have been moved to the tougher no-fly list, the
announced Monday. People on the watch list are subject to additional
scrutiny before they are allowed to enter this country, while anyone on
the no-fly list is barred from boarding aircraft in or headed for
and that “dozens” of people were shifted to either “no-fly” lists or a
“selectee” list that requires special screening or stepped-up
investigation.
Among those scheduled to attend Tuesday’s session are: Secretary of State
The president plans to meet this evening in the Oval Office with Democratic leaders of the House and
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