Abdulmutallab’s struggles highlight line between piety and extremism

Before Abdulmutallab traveled to Yemen to train with al-Qaida and wrote off his family, tensions existed with his father over his alleged “immoral, un-Islamic ” choices to become a wealthy banker. This is apparently a common struggle in Kaduna, Nigeria, where Abdulmutallab was raised. He also spent a lot of time unsupervised, a common issue…

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Abdulmutallab’s journey from Yemen to the US included time in Ghana

Abdulmutallab arrived in Lagos, Nigeria with intentions of heading to the US via Amsterdam. The flight to Lagos originated in Ghana, and authorities are attempting to piece together his whereabouts and activities while in the West African nation.

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Abdulmutallab may have met with al-Awlaki, radical American-Yemeni cleric implicated in Hasan case

In the weeks leading up to the Christmas Day attack, Yemen has stated in its fullest disclosure of contact between al-Qaida and Abdulmutallab that he trained with al-Qaida operatives in lawless mountainous regions, and may have met with Anwar al-Awlaki, radical American-Yemeni cleric associated with Major Hasan. The government also claims he received the explosives…

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Abdulmutallab and Hasan linked to Yemeni cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, full body scanners go unused at Nigerian airports

Abdulmutallab is believed to have met with al-Qaida operatives in a house used by extremist Yemeni-American cleric Anwar al-Awlaki. He has also been linked to Major Hasan, the Fort Hood shooter. Yemeni’s deputy prime minister believes the cleric is alive, although Obama officials believed he was killed December 24 on an air strike on a…

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Abdulmutallab had passport, contrary to eyewitness report

Abdulmutallab is said to have presented a passport in the Amsterdam airport, contrary to Kurt Haskell’s report. Haskell claims to have seen Abdulmutallab with a well-dressed Indian man who told ticket agents Abdulmutallab “doesn’t have a passport…he’s from Sudan. We do this all the time.” The passport was valid and from Nigeria, and had a…

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