Northwest Airlines Passenger Attempts to Ignite Powdery Explosive on Plane

Abdul Farouk Abdulmutallab, a Northwest Airlines passenger traveling from Amsterdam to Detroit, attempted to ignite a powdery substance on a plane today. Although Abdulmutallab claims he acted upon orders from Al Qaeda, the FBI is suspicious and does not have any evidence that corroborates the story.

Information is still unfolding, but the Washington Post has made the following report regarding the event:

Although the device was originally described as firecrackers, investigators believe the material was actually part of an incendiary device, the counterterrorism official said. That distinction from an explosive would limit the potential impact to the aircraft's structure and the lethality to passengers, and also provide a possible clue as to whether it should have been detected by existing explosives detection equipment.

Although the White House describes the event as an attempted act of terrorism, the government has not raised the terror alert.