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The suspect, identified by a U.S. government official as 23-year-old Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, ignited a small explosive device Friday, shortly before a Northwest flight from Amsterdam, Netherlands, made its landing in Detroit, Michigan.
With the aid of the cabin crew, another passenger quickly helped subdue and isolate Abdulmutallab, passenger Syed Jafry told CNN.
Abdulmutallab, was placed in custody and is being treated for second- and third-degree burns on his thighs, according to federal law enforcement and airline security sources.
The administration official said there was no evidence that Abdulmutallab was a hard-core, trained member of al Qaeda.
Abdulmutallab, a Nigerian national, claimed to have extremist ties and said the explosive device was acquired in Yemen along with instructions as to when it should be used, a federal security bulletin obtained by CNN said.
The remains of the device used are being sent to an FBI explosives lab in Quantico, Virginia, for analysis, security sources said.
Passengers described the brief moments of panic on board, as screams erupted and flight attendants ran for fire extinguishers.
Jafry, who was sitting in seat 16G, said the plane was just beginning to descend when passengers heard a pop.
Everybody got a little bit startled, he said. After a few seconds or so ... there was ... kind of a flamish light and there was fire and people around the immediate area began to panic.
One woman told CNN affiliate WDIV that a man threw a blanket over Abdulmutallab's legs to help put out the small fire.
It was terrifying, Richelle Keepman said. I think we all thought we weren't going to land, we weren't going to make it.
Passenger Elias Fawaz told WDIV that the explosion sounded like a balloon being popped and said he could smell smoke.
Jafry said the incident was under control within minutes, crediting the crew and nearby passengers for the rapid response.
Full story and vid: http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/12/26/airliner.firecrackers/index.html
With the aid of the cabin crew, another passenger quickly helped subdue and isolate Abdulmutallab, passenger Syed Jafry told CNN.
Abdulmutallab, was placed in custody and is being treated for second- and third-degree burns on his thighs, according to federal law enforcement and airline security sources.
The administration official said there was no evidence that Abdulmutallab was a hard-core, trained member of al Qaeda.
Abdulmutallab, a Nigerian national, claimed to have extremist ties and said the explosive device was acquired in Yemen along with instructions as to when it should be used, a federal security bulletin obtained by CNN said.
The remains of the device used are being sent to an FBI explosives lab in Quantico, Virginia, for analysis, security sources said.
Passengers described the brief moments of panic on board, as screams erupted and flight attendants ran for fire extinguishers.
Jafry, who was sitting in seat 16G, said the plane was just beginning to descend when passengers heard a pop.
Everybody got a little bit startled, he said. After a few seconds or so ... there was ... kind of a flamish light and there was fire and people around the immediate area began to panic.
One woman told CNN affiliate WDIV that a man threw a blanket over Abdulmutallab's legs to help put out the small fire.
It was terrifying, Richelle Keepman said. I think we all thought we weren't going to land, we weren't going to make it.
Passenger Elias Fawaz told WDIV that the explosion sounded like a balloon being popped and said he could smell smoke.
Jafry said the incident was under control within minutes, crediting the crew and nearby passengers for the rapid response.
Full story and vid: http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/12/26/airliner.firecrackers/index.html
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