U.S.-born cleric linked to airline bombing plot

U.S. counter-terrorism agencies are investigating whether an American-born Islamic cleric who has risen to become a key figure in the Al Qaeda affiliate in Yemen played a role in the attempted Christmas Day airplane bombing over Detroit, intelligence and law enforcement officials said Wednesday. Intercepts and other information point to connections between terrorism suspect Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab and Anwar al Awlaki -- who also communicated with the accused U.S. Army gunman in last month's attack on Ft. Hood, Texas, that left 13 people dead. Some of the information about Awlaki comes from Abdulmutallab, the 23-year-old Nigerian charged with attempting to detonate a hidden packet of PETN explosive aboard a Northwest Airlines flight from Amsterdam to Detroit on Christmas Day, the officials said.

Source: Intelwire

Yemen...here we come! (I hope not but its looking like it)

In my thread here I asked was the Christmas Day attack a precursor for action in Yemen? And now they are connecting the dots that will take us down the road to Yemen. Its literally a pass thru for trade goods but primarily oil with Russia, China, Canada, Britain, U.S. and other countrys having a presence in the region.

Even though it was rumored that Awlaki was killed by the US in a recent airstrike conducted in Yemen by US warplanes it looks like he did escape the target. Which was an Al Qaeda meeting there.

I'm Alive,' Says Yemen Radical Anwar Awlaki Despite U.S. Attack Denies Ties to al Qaeda As U.S. Officials Probe His Ties to Christmas Day Bomb Attempt and Fort Hood Shooting

Source: ABC News archive

Looks like we need to keep a sharp focus on Yemen for sure.