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Man in Custody Over Attempting to Bomb a Northwest Airlines Plan Over Detroit

Aired December 26, 2009 - 13:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The lady shouted what are you doing? What are you doing? And then we looked back. There were some fumes and some flames.

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FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Investigators digging for clues on three continents after this incident onboard a Northwest Airlines flight. An apparent attempt to bomb a U.S. airliner.

And police meet the jet in Detroit and take this Nigerian man you saw him, that still image into custody. We will have an exclusive interview with the passenger credited with helping subdue the suspect.

You're in the CNN NEWSROOM. With news unfolding live this Saturday, December 26th, the day after Christmas. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

So it was an apparent attempt to stage a terror attack over U.S. air space during one of the holiest days on the Christian calendar. Northwest Airlines flight 253 was on a Christmas Day flight from Amsterdam. The crew was preparing to land in Detroit when passengers heard a pop, and saw smoke. They scrambled to subdue a 23-year-old Nigerian man. Police took him into custody when the plane landed and now that suspect is being questioned.

We have reporters digging into this story from every angle. Richard Quest and Nic Robertson are in Europe and Martin Savidge in Detroit. Our other stateside reporters, Kate Bolduan and Jeanne Meserve in Washington, D.C. and Ed Henry is with the president of the United States, he is in Honolulu and Drew Griffin and Josh Levs is here in Atlanta, all's of us delving into this story.

So let's start with CNN's Martin Savidge, he is in Detroit where the plane landed and where the suspect is being questioned by FBI authorities as he's being hospitalized. Martin.

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Fredricka. You're right. Authorities believe that this is the real deal. That this man had every intention, the suspect that is of trying to bring that airliner down as it was making its flight from Amsterdam here to Detroit. We should point out that this story is growing in scope. What I mean by that is the impact it is going to have on the flying public.

Already across the country, new security measures have been introduced at every major airport that means at the pique of the holiday traveling season potentially millions of people are going to be affected. They are not just going to see this story; they're actually going to feel this story. Some of the security measures you will notice, some of them you will not.

For instance, here in Detroit. They're now saying that passengers have to be aboard the aircraft in their seats 20 minutes before departure or otherwise they could risk that they may not get on the plane at all. So it's very likely if you're traveling either by yourself or with your family this holiday by air you could run into some sort of delays inside the terminal or perhaps with the aircraft itself. Be aware of that and plan accordingly.

As to the investigation. The suspect, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab is currently in custody and he is also in hospital. He is being held at the University of Michigan Burn Trauma Center that is in Ann Arbor; supposedly he is suffering from third-degree burns. All of this as a result of what happened on Northwest Airlines flight 253 yesterday. It was about noon. The plane on its final approach coming into Detroit when apparently the suspect tried to detonate some sort of explosive device.

Reports of the device was a mixture of powered and liquid. The powder strapped to his legs. The liquid he had in a syringe. He injects the liquid into the powder. The chemical reaction triggers some sort of explosion and fire. Fortunately it did not appear to work as badly as he would have liked. The suspect was then taken into custody subdued by the crew and by passengers. One of those who was onboard is Richelle Keepman. This is what she remembers hearing and seeing.

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RICHELLE KEEPMAN, WITNESS: We were in the back of the plane, and all of a sudden heard some screams and flight attendants ran up and down the aisles, and I think we knew at the point when we saw the fear in the flight attendant's eyes and they grabbed the fire extinguishers and then also we smelled a bunch of smoke, and apparently someone in the front of the plane, I don't know if he lit himself on fire or lit something on his lap, and it went up in flames.

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SAVIDGE: Abdulmutallab is now as we said in custody. It's anticipated that he is going to be charged. It's not exactly clear when that will happen. What authorities want to know is was he acting alone or is there more to it than that? Right now he's telling authorities that he part of a terrorist conspiracy. They're not necessarily buying into that, they think that perhaps he's a wannabe of al Qaeda not necessarily a card-carrying member, but there is that concern.

Is this just a one-time event, Fredricka? Or could there be others that are planning similar sorts of attacks? Right now the federal investigators are saying, they believe he acted totally alone. However, the fact that security is being tightened in airports all across this country would indicate they're not 100 percent sure. Fredricka. WHITFIELD: Martin Savidge thanks so much from Detroit. And of course lots of questions being asked not just of the suspect, but apparently a Nigerian banker came forward and talking to authorities saying that this suspect may potentially be his son and at the same time we understand overseas in London where the suspect lived possibly the apartment where he was living in, an upscale area, is also being searched. Still lots of questions.

Coming up at bottom of the hour, we are actually talking live to one of the passengers onboard that Northwest flight. We are finding out what she saw and hear more about how the other passengers reacted to the threat, that's at 1:30 Eastern Time. You already heard a little bit of what she had to say. We will be hearing a lot more coming up and also in a few minutes, a CNN exclusive. Apparently one of the passengers who jumped over others to tackle the accused would-be bomber, that passenger is Jasper Schuringa. He too will be joining us live in about fifteen minutes from now to explain what he saw and how he reacted.

So what do we know so far about well he claims to have ties to extremists as you heard from Martin Savidge? For now, authorities say he is apparently acting alone. His last known residence, London. That's where counterterrorism police had been conducting searches today. Senior international correspondent Nic Robertson is in London. And so I understand they have been focusing on this upscale apartment possibly where he lived?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, that's what we understand, that this was his last known address in London a few more details have been emerging in Britain today about Abdulmutallab. He was according to the University College in London here a student, mechanical engineering student. He studied here until June of 2008, a little over a year and a half ago. Then this building behind me, these luxury apartments are where he was believed to have been living.

Counterterrorism police and police wearing sort of forensic boiler suits have been going in and out of the building behind me for about the past eight or so hours today. This is part of an investigation of the Metropolitan Police, say they began in London at the request of U.S. authorities, British Prime Minister Tony Blair has also said that public security is a paramount importance that Britain is working with U.S. authorities on this and he's told a police commissioner, the chief police commissioner in London to make sure that everything is being done to support U.S. authorities.

There are a number of locations where police are searching in London, but this seems to be the main focus. This apartment building here to give you some idea how much apartments in this building cost. They sell for between $2 million and $4 million each. It gives an indication that this young man came from a family or had financially means himself. No poor students. The university he was in at the, University of College of London, just around the corner from here. The university there saying that he studied there for three years. Fredricka. WHITFIELD: And is anybody else saying much more about his demeanor, what kind of person he was, given that he studied there for three years. People got to know him pretty well?

ROBERTSON: Fredricka, probably I think probably what's hampering investigation, authorities here, the police and other is the fact that it is the holiday season and there have been few people around to comment on it. However, when you sort of look at some of the social networking media, some of the twitter comments by fellow students of the university, there's a lot of shock and surprise that the student attending that university could have been involved in something like this. A lot of -- people say it's not cheap as an oversees student to come to the university here, what a waste of money, what a waste of a career.

Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Is it your belief, too, Nic, that he began this journey there in London before making his way to Amsterdam? Do you know much about his travel plans prior to Amsterdam?

ROBERTSON: The best that we know at the moment is that he left from Nigeria and traveled to Amsterdam and then got on the Northwest Airlines flight for Detroit. However, where had he been immediately before taking that flight from Nigeria? It's not clear. Had he been living in this apartment in London? Had he been, as he claimed, in touch with al Qaeda people in Yemen who provided explosives for him.

He reportedly claimed. It's not clear. I mean, what the police will be doing here, and modest talk about this as well. They will be searching for clues that may lead to other people that may tip them off about other active terrorist plots. Right now the biggest concerns of investigators are stopping any other plots. That's what police will be looking for here primarily.

However, having seen some of the officers coming and going during the day, this afternoon, they've been wearing more sort of normal standard police clothing, if you will. Which gives the impression that this isn't sort of a forensic crime scene investigation, that there isn't material in there they won't want to contaminate if you will but more a thorough search of the premises and perhaps talking to people in the building about what they knew about this man.

WHITFIELD: All right. Interesting stuff. Well Nic Robertson thanks so much from London, appreciate that.

Of course, this investigation means it's impacting you as you embark upon your travel, longer lines, and more security. Expect all of those things. Two things though with airline tickets in hand should be expected for today and maybe for the interim for awhile. CNN's Kate Bolduan is outside Dulles International Airport outside Washington, D.C. Kate, they'd already just instituted a new security check at that airport just from the past couple of months. What are you seeing there now?

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'll tell you, Fredricka, as you know very well, Dulles International quite a busy airport, especially with international flights. With some 43 international flights coming from 43 international infusion, now 22 national carriers. Important location especially when talking about international travel. We've been talking throughout the day, passengers arriving into Dulles as well as traveling out of Dulles on both domestic with in the U.S. as well as international. What we are hearing, we are hearing quit a few similarities between people.

People who are traveling, arriving here at the ticket counter say they are expecting longer lines. They're expecting a tougher time going through security, but they also say that that doesn't bother them as long as it means safer travel for them and their family members. For people who are arriving in Dulles, I'm hearing that they are seeing some measure of increased security as they were boarding their flights. Some people are telling me that they are getting increased scrutiny of documentation, identification. Additional checks to passports. As well as all the security lines are getting increased scrutiny of all the items that are going to take on the plane with them. Especially when it comes to liquid.

By and large we're hearing from people here at Dulles arriving or flying out that these inconveniences aren't bothering them very much as long as it means that it is safer traveling, their flight and travel plans will be more secure. So as long as they can have that comfort and that confidence, they say they will be OK.

We've been talking about it all morning, Fredricka and what we've been hearing though, some of the additional things that people may see at every airport in terms of stepped up security, are increased, you could see more security personnel. You could see added screenings when you get to your gate. Also you may see more canine units, bomb-seeking dogs if you will in and around the airport. Those kinds of things. Here as you can see, it's pretty much behind me, a ticket counter, it is really close to normal operations here. People saying they're arriving earlier because they were expecting more difficult travel.

WHITFIELD: All right. Kate Bolduan thanks so much. Always busy Dulles International Airport just outside Washington, D.C.

Well this is a CNN exclusive. The passenger who jumped over others to tackle the would-be bomber.

Plus, President Obama is monitoring the terror probe from, Hawaii where he is spending the holidays. A live report from Honalulu just minutes away.

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WHITFIELD: All right. New information we're receiving now on the suspect involved in this attempted terror attack on that Northwest Airline flight. The suspect Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab he is being questioned by authorities in Detroit as his wounds are being nursed as well at a hospital there. Christian Purefoy is actually in London. He is our correspondent ordinarily out of Nigeria. And we understand that this suspect is of Nigerian dissent, his family still lives in Nigeria and you've learned interesting information about his family. About his education in London. What do you have for us?

CHRISTIAN PUREFOY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, the family will be putting out a statement shortly. But a family source told me that Umar Farouk, 23 years old, has been arrested and he is the son of a respected Nigerian banker who was the chairman and he's just retired of Nigeria's First Bank. It is one of the biggest, oldest banks in Nigeria. So this is a rich, wealthy young man we are talking about, with a respectable background.

He says that he went to his first degree in London and that the family then suspected he might have met up with some suspicious characters Islamic extremist, and then when he finished the degree and came home he asked to go to a second degree in Cairo but the family said, no, you'll be sent to Dubai, they were worried that if he went off to Cairo that he might pick up more extremist views and they hoped that Dubai would be slightly more tolerant, the family source told me.

But then as soon as he arrived in Dubai, he sent this text message to his family and said, I'm off to Yemen and you will find it very difficult to contact me. I'm throwing away the sim card. Then since then they haven't heard from him. But the father, the family source says, this is extremely important, has been in touch with the American embassy in Nigeria. This is unconfirmed. We've not heard from the American Embassy in Nigeria yet on this but if the father did let the American Embassy know that his son as a family source put it, on some sort of Jihad, that it's extremely important as to why this person wasn't put on no-fly risk zone. Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Interesting. Let me back up a little bit. You mentioned that Abdulmutallab went to school in London; he was now living in Dubai. What's the lapse of time between when he left London and when he was in Dubai and how he was able to maintain a relationship with these unsavory characters that the family was a little concerned about?

PUREFOY: Well it does seem that he first met up with these characters in London in his first degree and he was there for three years. We've seen pictures of his apartment in London at the University. Then he came home and then he was asked to do another degree. The family source says it was two months ago that they received the text message saying that he's off to Yemen. This was completely a surprise to the family and they wanted to make it quite clear that he was acting alone. This was not supported in any way by the family.

And it is quite unusual in Nigeria for this sort of thing to happen, particularly because the majority of the population is so poor, 70 percent of the population, live on less than a dollar a day, and this chap is a wealthy young 23 years old, elite, northern Nigerian Muslim elite. So very unexpected.

Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: So two months ago he sent this text message to his family that he's off to Yemen, they didn't hear from him, et cetera. At what point did the family put two and two together that possibly this young and this Northwest flight was the son of this prominent banker, since the family went to the U.S. Embassy, as you reported?

PUREFOY: It just seemed that their first suspicions were aroused when he went to London for his first degree in engineering it seems and when he came home they realized they shouldn't send him anywhere that it might be hints of religious extremism. It has to be said that a lot of Nigerian wealthy families send their children to school in London but they say that suspicions were aroused when he returned from London after they suspected he was meeting with extremist figures but they do say that he's had a high interest in religion since he was a young boy.

WHITFIELD: All right. Christian Purefoy thanks so much. Very fascinating information, and information I know investigators are trying to piece together, too, as they continue to ask questions of this suspect in Detroit. Thanks so much for that update. Appreciate it.

And as we've been reporting on this investigation, we've also been showing you an exclusive image. The image of a man in a white t-shirt that is being subdued by a number of passengers onboard this Northwest flight. Let's take a look at that image right now. Right here, because apparently we have one of the passengers on the phone with us now. Who's joining us actually from Miami? Who was apparently either one of those who actually helped take the image or perhaps helped subdue the passenger? The suspect, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab the suspect, Jasper Schuringa is with us now from Miami. So Jasper clarify it for me, oh he there live in Miami, did you help take the image or did you also help subdue the suspect? Which is it?

JASPER SCHURINGA, HELPED SUBDUE TERROR SUSPECT: Basically, I reacted on a bang and then there was smoke piling up in the cabin and so people were screaming, fire, fire, and the first thing we, like we all did is, checked where the fire was. So and then I saw the suspect. He was on the seat.

WHITFIELD: How many rows back were you?

SCHURINGA: Sorry?

WHITFIELD: You were behind the suspect when this smoke --

SCHURINGA: No, I was on the right side of the plane and the suspect was on the left side. So there were quite some seats in between. So when I saw that suspect he was getting on fire and I freak, of course, and without any hesitation I jumped over the seats and I jumped to the suspect because I was thinking, like, he's trying to blow up the plane. And so you know, I was trying to search his body for any explosives, and then I took some kind of object that was already melting and smoking out of him and I tried to - I tried to put out the fire and then when I did that I was also restraining the suspect and then the fire started beneath this seat. With my hands and everything, you can see, a little burned up.

I put out the fire and then other passengers helped me as well and, of course, I was screaming for water, water. We really had to; fire on the plane is not that good, of course. And so, but then the fire was actually getting a little worse, because of what I did, it did, it didn't extinguish the fire. Grabbed the suspect out of the seat, wearing anymore explosives that would be very dangerous because he was almost on fire, and when I grabbed him from his seat, the chemical -- they came with fire extinguisher, and got clear all the flames, and just to be sure, like I grabbed him with another attendant and we took him to first class and there we stripped him and contained him with handcuffs and made sure he had no more weapons or bombs on him.

WHITFIELD: And so Jasper, when you saw -- you talk about how something underneath the seat was on fire. Was something on fire on him, or was it, did it appear to be the seat that he, you know, may have set on fire and then as a result he also burned as well?

SCHURINGA: Well, like, he was -- he put something on fire that was hidden in his pants and apparently was dripping. I think it like, the liquid or anything like that, dripped down on the floor and two pillows got, like, ignited, and -- it went very quick and like we're all just reacting to the fire and everybody was panicking.

WHITFIELD: Tell me about him. Was he fighting you? Was he struggling? Did he just seem to, upon discovery just kind of let it go and you all were able to --

SCHURINGA: No, just very calm. He was shaking, though, but he didn't resist anything, and he was just sitting there, and he looked like a normal guy as well. But it was just, just hard to believe that he was actually going to, trying to blow up this plane.

WHITFIELD: Was there anything about him prior to this incident that ever made you look at him? Did you suspect anything? Did anything catch your attention about him?

SCHURINGA: No. Nothing, nothing, nothing, absolutely nothing. It was a big surprise, and when we heard the first explosion, people were just like looking around like this is not good. What's going on? Then the first person said, shouted fire, and then like I got my senses and, no, this is wrong.

WHITFIELD: Some of the passengers described as hearing like a pop. What did you hear just prior to the smoke and the fire?

SCHURINGA: First it was a pop and then like about 30 seconds later, the smoke started to fill up on the left side, beneath this person. And then from then on we just jumped and tried to save the plane, and we did luckily.

WHITFIELD: Well it sounds like you had an incredible response there, very quick. You think about international flights, oftentimes when you get close to that dissent, somewhere within that last hour on a transatlantic flight, many people have been sleeping, you're a little groggy. When you heard the pop, when you heard people talking about the smoke, how quick was it to actually react or was there a moment where you said, it really must be nothing?

SCHURINGA: I basically reacted directly. I didn't think. When you hear a pop on the plane, you're awake, trust me. So I just jumped. I didn't think and I just went over there and tried to save the plane, I guess.

WHITFIELD: How many people were trying to hold him down along with you? How many people were reacting?

SCHURINGA: There were people standing around, because, like, the person next to the suspect and like he was, a few time he stood up, because I was like -- there was a fire. I think there were like a lot of people trying to help later on. And we had a very brave flight attendant. That also helps. Thank you for those people. They are also heroes and, yes, together we maintained the suspect and we got a safe landing.

WHITFIELD: Were there any words? Were there any -- was there any yelling, any screaming?

SCHURINGA: No. Well, yes, like the whole plane was screaming and, but the suspect, like, he didn't say a word. Nothing like that.

WHITFIELD: Never said a word? Not prior, not during, not even once you all had subdued him and were holding him waiting for authorities?

SCHURINGA: We were holding him, he wasn't struggling and he wasn't saying a word, nothing. He was just --

WHITFIELD: Do you feel like his reaction was just sort of feeling defenseless or relief? How would you read what you saw in him?

SCHURINGA: Well, he was, like he was entranced. He was very afraid. Like I don't know. But I don't really want to talk about that.

WHITFIELD: Was he traveling with anybody? Could you tell?

SCHURINGA: Sorry?

WHITFIELD: Could you tell whether he was traveling with anyone or alone?

SCHURINGA: Again, sorry. I didn't hear you correctly.

WHITFIELD: Could you tell whether he had anyone that was traveling with him?

SCHURINGA: No. He was --

WHITFIELD: A stranger?

SCHURINGA: As far as I can tell he was traveling alone. Yes. OK. Thank you very much.

WHITFIELD: Talk about your injury real quick Jasper. You held up your hand. You got burned trying to put that fire out.

SCHURINGA: OK. Well, like I burned my hands, because I was trying to put out the fire and the object I was holding. So it was on fire a little bit, and I had to -- damp it and with my other hand I had to -- get out, damp the fire, because it was growing and the fire on a plane is not good.

WHITFIELD: And Jasper, you're now in Miami. The flight landed in Detroit.

SCHURINGA: Yes.

WHITFIELD: Is this your final destination or are you visiting friends? You live here in the states now?

SCHURINGA: No, I'm actually visiting friends, I used to live here a long time ago, but I'm on vacation and trying to do that as well now.

WHITFIELD: And Holland is home for you?

SCHURINGA: Yes. Sorry.

WHITFIELD: Holland is home for you?

SCHURINGA: Yes. I'm sorry I didn't get that. I'm sorry. I don't --

WHITFIELD: Were you traveling from Amsterdam from Holland because that's home for you and now you're visiting the states?

SCHURINGA: Exactly. Yes. I live in Amsterdam and I traveled to Miami for a vacation. And that's --

WHITFIELD: What a trip to remember. Jasper Schering, thanks so much.

SCHURINGA: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: For that exclusive interview as one of the passengers who helped subdue Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab. The suspect now in Detroit, he was being questioned, he also has burns. You heard Jasper describing here a liquid, something on fire. Passengers heard a pop, saw the smoke and saw the fire. He says he was one of the people that helped subdue this suspect almost in the words of Jasper it seemed like he was in a trance as they tried to subdue him. He didn't say anything. He didn't yell. Didn't even try to struggle as passengers were trying to subdue him before that plane as it was making its landing in Detroit.

Finally landed there safely in Detroit and authorities got on board and then took him into custody where he is hospitalized in Detroit and where FBI authorities are also continuing to ask him questions. We'll replay this interview with Jasper Schuringa who as he was describing very courageously was among the passengers who tried to subdue this suspect to make sure something even worse didn't take place.

Much more of our special coverage of the Christmas flight terror attempt continues. There were no air marshals apparently on that flight. There are lots of security questions. And we are going to try and get many of them answered next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: U.S. officials are calling it an attempted terrorist attack on a U.S. airliner. Here is what we know right now. Let's look at this exclusive photo of the suspect being taken by a fellow passenger, the photo is, and you see a number of other passengers that are actually around the suspect in the white t-shirt. He is a 23-year- old Nigerian national. Identified as Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab. The FBI has been questioning him in Detroit and officials say he's actually talking a lot.

The Associated Press reports a prominent Nigerian banker says the suspect actually might be his son. Passengers onboard the flight say the man tried to set off a small explosive or incendiary device as the plane was approaching the Detroit Airport. There was smoke, there was a pop of sound and there was fire, and as a result of this attempted terrorist attack on onboard, this airliner, this Northwest flight, now you're seeing the images in airports across the country. Lots of long lines beefed up security. The TSA says there are no changes in requirements on domestic or international flights as of yet, but they are certainly stepping up and being a lot more vigorous about checking out every passenger going in and out of airports trying to fly.

So meantime, President Barack Obama learned about the attempted attack yesterday morning during his holiday trip to his home state of Hawaii, and CNN's senior White House correspondent Ed Henry is joining us now live from Honolulu where the president was a breasted of the situation right away. The White House has called this attempted act of terror. What more is being said from the White House and what more might we see as we all try to head to airports to fly?

ED HENRY, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Fred, it's been suggested to us the president's unlikely to make a public statements himself, instead he is trying to stay behind the scene, a pretty low key on this vacation, but stay in the loop. He had a secure conference call yesterday with a couple of his top security advisers to stay abreast of this situation and then immediately ordered that aviation security measures as you noted be beefed up at airports around the country.

We're told he's also keeping abreast of the situation in his rental home on the other side of Oahu by basically getting secure paper updates from the White House situation room back in Washington, which is obviously not taking a break despite the holiday. Now what is the president being told in these secure updates? The broad brush that I'm picking up from senior officials, familiar with this investigation is that the president has been told that not only was this an attempted terror attack, but that also this suspect is talking a lot behind the scenes, and the early indication from the investigation is that he acted alone.

Was not formally connected with any organized terror group like al Qaeda, may have had aspirations to be part of a terror group. May have even been inspired by al Qaeda or others but was not formally connected. As I mentioned, the president also on this secured call yesterday instructed federal officials to make sure they beef up aviation security measures. We're told that the president has not ordered that the color-coded threat level of orange be lifted. It's staying there, it is not going up to red which would be the most severe threat level, but within that orange threat level he had some latitude to instruct federal officials to beef up measures like sending more canine dogs, et cetra to security check points that may cause delays as you noted, but White House officials saying obviously security right now is paramount making sure there's not a repeat of this, Fred.

WHITFIELD: Ed, I'm wondering if the president and the White House is saying this is an attempted act of terror, they agree on using that language, yet they don't want to encourage the Transportation office to increase, or Homeland Security to increase the security level does that seem a little strange? I mean, how is it the White House responding, to why wouldn't you raise the threat level?

HENRY: I think the perspective is that this is a White House that has been very skeptical of the color-coded system that was instituted by the Bush administration. In fact, in recent months, the Obama administration has been conducting a private review of whether to scrap that whole system altogether. In part because there's concern within the Obama administration that perhaps the threat level itself just ends up scaring people in America, and even around the world who are coming into America. And that it might not really help matters.

It's more important instead of focusing on the color threat levels to focus on the individual measures that can be taken at airports. So I think that's the perspective that they don't want to just sort of willy-nilly raise the level. Especially since in this case it appears, and is still in early stages of the investigation, but it appears this suspect was acting alone and that there were no other bombs that were supposed to detonate in other airports. So they don't want to raise that threat level anyway because they think it's an isolated incident. At least now, Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right. Ed Henry, White House correspondent in Honolulu where the first family is vacationing this holiday season thanks so much.

We have heard a lot of different things about what transpired on that flight as it was making its way into Detroit before this suspected terrorist then carried out what the White House is calling an act of terror. So we've heard things such as a syringe was used. One passenger even says there was a liquid involved. So how might this impact what screeners are looking out for at the airports as you head to the airports to continue your holiday travel? CNN Homeland Security correspondent Jeanne Meserve is in our Washington studio with the very latest.

So I wonder if these little details are in any way, I guess making the screeners a little bit more astute about certain items that they look through are items going through the machines at the airport?

JEANNE MESERVE, CNN HOMELAND SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, we've just gotten a new statement from Homeland Security secretary Janet Napolitano, she certainly doesn't spell out exactly what's happening at those checkpoints but she does say, DHS immediately put additional screening measures in place for all domestic and international flights to ensure the continued safety of the traveling public and she goes on to say we are also working closely with federal, state and local law enforcement on additional security measures as well as our international partners on enhanced security at airports and on flights.

No detail in there at all about what these new procedures at screening checkpoints might be. Also we've heard from several sources now that new security directives have been issued to the U.S. airlines. But again, no specifics provided. That's, of course, because they don't want the public to know exactly what they're doing at those checkpoints and exactly what they're looking for. That would make that additional security somewhat ineffective.

Now, we have been told by the TSA that there are no new requirements for travelers. That is to say, if you follow all the rules that have been established in the past, you should be fine, but, yes, screeners will be going through things more causally. The anecdotal stories that we're hearing from airports is that they are. They're being much more careful about checking identification, perhaps even checking identification a second time at the gates as you're boarding aircraft and also clearly looking very carefully at everybody's luggage. A very complicated, complicated situation, because this is the holiday travel period. People are dressed in heavy coats, mittens, gloves, et cetera, because of the weather.

They probably have gotten gifts from Santa Claus that might include electronics. All of that makes the screening a little bit more challenges, that's why the Homeland Security secretary is advising people to give extra time to the screeners and she is also urging all passengers to be visulent and of course if you see something suspicious, to pass that on immediately.

The added layers of security, some of them will be visible. Canine teams out there in more force, probably more behavior detection officers. They are the folks who stand around and observe the crowd looking for suspicious behavior. You'll see a lot more of those kinds of things but they assure us there are other layers of security that we won't be seeing and that won't be obvious and of course they're trying to keep this unpredictable. You'll see different measures at different airports.

Fred, back to you.

WHITFIELD: All right. Jeanne Meserve thanks so much for that information.

So additional screening at the airports. Give yourself a lot more time if you intend to travel over the next few days, but so far the message being it doesn't necessarily mean that I guess the requirements of what you're checking have changed, have been impacted as a result of what happened yesterday.

MESERVE: That's correct. You can still bring that one carry-on bag and follow the 311 rule about your liquids and have your identification and boarding pass ready. Things are supposed to work.

WHITFIELD: All right. Jeanne Meserve, thanks so much from Washington, appreciate that. All right. Something else we're learning about this flight yesterday. That there were no air marshals onboard. A look at security issues and if that is considered unusual these days.

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WHITFIELD: More now on that Northwest Airlines flight yesterday with the attempted terrorist act underway. Apparently no air marshals onboard. It appears the suspect was wrestled down by other passengers, and the crew. Drew Griffin of CNN Special Investigations Unit has been looking into the incident and is joining us now with more on the security questions raised by the attack.

A really compelling interview from one of the passengers onboard who told us about what he saw, what he heard. Everything from a pop to seeing flames, seeing that perhaps this fire didn't necessarily start on him, but maybe it involved the passenger's seat as well. Very interesting, but he says it was the passengers who actually tried to subdue this suspect. Why wouldn't there be air marshals onboard? Is that really unusual not to see them on all flights?

DREW GRIFFIN, CNN SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS UNIT: Unfortunately it's not unusual. And I should say right at the beginning here we've been trying to get some kind of confirmation from TSA, from Homeland Security, that there were no air marshals onboard. We haven't gotten that officially, but from every air marshal I talked to, just on the phone as you were introducing me, there weren't. And the fact of the matter is, and our reporting last year we reported that a very, very tiny percentage of flights actually have air marshals onboard.

WHITFIELD: Why is that?

GRIFFIN: Because there are just not enough people. There's not enough budget. They don't fly. There are tens of thousands of flights a day just in the U.S., add on to that those overseas and it just literally can't be done. You have to hire too many people to do it. But they try to keep a perception there are air marshals on board but as we've seen time after time, there is no armed air marshals there to do the subduing, it's passengers like this fellow you had on.

WHITFIELD: Was it after the shoe bomber incident back in 2000, when the talk of the need for air marshals came about? Or was it --

GRIFFIN: It was in the 9/11 report. The 9/11 report talked about just the complete lack of air marshals, a pathetic amount of air marshals who are actually flying at that time. There was a big hiring push to get many more air marshals in the air, but it's turned out to be one of those programs that just kind of has gone by the wayside. They try to target certain routes, international routes, certain threat levels. They try to move the air marshals to different parts of the country or different airports as threats emerged, but on your routine flights, it is rare.

WHITFIELD: Clearly, it is showing that passengers are very vigilant. If the stories check out the way we are hearing from passengers, that it was passengers that cited something was strange and they subdued a suspect, someone who was up to no good, perhaps that level of vigilance among passengers is perhaps one of the best prevention measures we have.

GRIFFIN: No doubt about it. I think it would be very difficult to pull something off like a 9/11 type plot in the United States today because so many passengers are keeping a keen eye. What air marshals are telling me and what other federal law enforcement is telling me, perhaps if there were an air marshal onboard, this fellow would have been singled out long before he lit any fuse. He is a single guy getting onboard a plane. They are trained to spot behavioral issues.

WHITFIELD: I was going to say what is the matter with one lone flier?

GRIFFIN: They are screening people as you come in on the plane and there is an air marshal on board, those air marshals are looking you over whether you know it or not. They might identify this man sitting alone in seat 19-a, something about him.

WHITFIELD: So to the untrained eye, passengers, one particular, Jasper Schuringa who I spoke with, said there was nothing that was alarming about this person, but perhaps to the trained eye there might have been things they --

GRIFFIN: What I am told even something that is not alarming, if he is sitting there quietly, looking straight ahead, not reading a book, not watching a movie, not engaged in anything, not sleeping, not talking, if they go back a couple of times and notice that his seat is empty a lot. It just may have been something that had them suspicious that kept an eye on him.

Certainly, that Jasper fellow would have had help subduing this person. Thank god it didn't become something much more than that, that these passengers could not take care of.

WHITFIELD: Interesting. All right. Drew Griffin thanks so much from the Special Investigations Unit. We'll be talking with you again throughout the day. And we will also be hearing more from that passenger that I was just mentioning, Jasper Schuringa. We are going to replay that interview, exclusive interview with him. He talks about every detail from what he heard, to what he saw and how he and other passengers jumped in to help to stop something more terrible from happening.

All right. Something else we are going to be talking about straight ahead, economic hard times. A lot of folks are out of work looking for work. An out of work Los Angeles man has new leads and new hope thanks to one of you, a CNN viewer.

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WHITFIELD: A tale of the turnaround. CNN brought you the story of Tony Briones last month, a homeless Los Angeles who was man unable to find work. Now thanks to a CNN viewer, he has renewed hope that a job is out there for him. CNN's Casey Wian has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) CASEY WIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): When we first met Tony Briones nearly two weeks ago he was living in his van spending mornings unsuccessfully looking for odd jobs at this Los Angeles Day Labor Center.

TONY BRIONES, JOB SEEKER: I would hope and pray I would get some kind of work, something going on to make extra money.

WIAN: The 54-year-old father of two, grandfather of five spent 30 years as a warehouse worker and in construction.

BRIONES: I was on a ten-foot ladder bringing hoses for the gas line. The ladder went one way; I went the other way and messed up my shoulder.

WIAN: Brione says he filled out hundreds of job applications without success. He is married with a severely disabled adult child at his former home. He no longer feels right living there.

BRIONES: Your kids, your grandkids asking for money and you don't got it. And your wife got it? She is trying to do what she can. Excuse me. I was born a man. I want to support my family and I can't. That sucks. Excuse me. Sorry about that.

WIAN: Today he has new hope thanks to Melissa Wolf, a CNN viewer who volunteers at Chrysalis, a nonprofit organization helping the homeless and people recently released from prison find jobs.

MELISSA WOLF, CHRYSALIS: He is a perfect example of somebody that can be assisted by Chrysalis. He's homeless, he has motivation. He really just wants to be given a chance at employment. When I saw that piece, I really wanted to introduce him to this program.

WIAN: Wolf helped Briones update his resume. Monday he arrived for his first day of job training classes.

BRIONES: I feel like a baby that took his first step. Like I fell off the bike and put the bike back up. They picked me up.

WIAN: Briones says the recession has boosted the number of people using its job placement services by 40 percent since last year.

MARK LORANGER, CEO, CHRYSALIS: We are seeing more clients that have what we call underemployed. They may be holding multiple jobs to make ends meet or maybe that they are not getting a full 40 hours a week so they are looking for something better.

WIAN: For Briones, any job would be better than what he has endured. Last year Chrysalis says more than 1,500 people or 80 percent of its clients found work at an average wage of nearly $10 an hour. One man who had nearly lost hope now believes he will be working again soon.

(UNIDENTIFIED MALE): Bless you guys for doing what you do for making my life more shiny again. The down side is over.

WIAN: Casey Wian, CNN, Los Angeles. (END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Much more on this story as we contain to follow. An exclusive interview with the man who helped tackle the suspected terrorist on that Christmas day flight to Detroit.

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