It may seem like ancient history when you read this column, but it makes academic sense to focus on the attempted terrorist attack on Christmas Day 2009 on Northwest Airlines Flight 253. A Nigerian man named Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab attempted to detonate an explosive device on the Airbus 330 carrying 278 passengers and a crew of 11.
Thus, the holidays turned from a traditionally slow news time period focused on football bowl scores to one of high energy debates on the weaknesses of current TSA policies, the ridiculous delay of Erroll Southers’ confirmation to head of the TSA (and a member of Security magazine’s 2009 Class of The Most Influential) and some competency questions about DHS Secretary Napolitano’s capabilities for her job. There was no shortage of experts that shared their opinions, discussed new technologies and pointed fingers.