Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the privileged son of a prominent Nigerian banker and recently retired Minister of Economics, Alhaji Umar Mutallab, had many doors open to him but chose instead to become an al Quaida terrorist.
Despite this, Abdulmutallab was still being permitted to travel, and had slipped past security with only carry-on luggage for a supposed 2 week stay in Detroit.
Mutallab failed in his attempt to himself up aboard flight 253, due largely to the efforts of alert passengers, and in part due to his inexperience with handling explosives. It remains to be seen how these passengers will be punished for saving all those aboard the aircraft, but past history suggests that some form of reprisal for this courageous defense is pending.
*Pharmer habitually scans for name corrections since the news source linked above was incorrect. The latest
version of the terrorist and his father’s names come from THIS article concerning reaction from the family and associates of the bomber.