Washington, Dec 26 (DPA) An international airline passenger allegedly attempted to blow-up a flight from Amsterdam to Detroit by trying to set of an explosive device, US media reported Friday.
Earlier, an airline spokeswoman had said a passenger had been subdued after setting off a firecracker on the Northwest Airlines flight carrying 278 passengers.
An unnamed source told ABC News that investigators were interviewing a Nigerian man who claimed to have been directed by Al Qaeda to ignite an explosive on the flight. However, the credibility of the man’s statements were being questioned, the broadcaster said.
The man was on a government no-fly list, the source said.
US President Barack Obama had been informed of the incident during his Christmas vacation in Hawaii. The White House was investigating the incident as a potential attempted terrorist attack, NBC News reported from Honolulu.
Spokesmen for the Department of Homeland Security and the White House could not immediately be reached for comment.
Two people were injured and one person was being treated in hospital. The passenger who set off the firecracker was subdued and the pilot was able to land safely.
