MI5 knew of Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab’s UK extremist links 3 years ago

David Leppard
The Australian
January 4, 2010

BRITISH security services knew three years ago that the Detroit bomber had “multiple communications” with Islamic extremists it has emerged.

Counterterrorism officials said Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab was “reaching out” to extremists whom MI5 had under surveillance while he was studying at University College London.

Officials said the 23-year-old Nigerian was “starting out on a journey” in Britain that culminated in his attempt to bring down flight 253 as it prepared to land in Detroit, Michigan, on Christmas Day.

British officials have now passed a file to their US counterparts on Abdulmutallab’s activities in Britain while he was a student from 2005 to 2008. It shows his repeated contacts with MI5 targets who were subject to phone taps, email intercepts and other forms of surveillance.

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