Counterterrorism Blog

There is growing evidence that the Oct. 22 airplane crash in Nigeria that killed all 117 people on board--including a U.S. Special Forces officer, top counter-terrorism officials of the Obasanjo government and senior regional security officers--was sabotage, not accident. Senior Nigerian officials are now saying publicly that there was an explosion in the air, before the aircraft, which had recently passed inspection, crashed to the earth. The lastest official statements can be found here.

At least one previously unknown group from the troubled Niger Delta region has taken credit for the downing, but the claim has been disavowed by other groups, and there seems to be little indication that any are legitimate. There are also conflicting reports over whether the black box has been found. Numerous international teams will be arriving in coming days to comb over the remains of the wreakage, but it appears the site was not properly secured in the days immediately after the crash, so it is unclear if anything of interest has been disturbed, removed or destroyed. But the blowing up of a commercial airliner would mark a dangerous new phase of the unrest in Nigeria, whether it be by international criminal syndicates, Islamic terrorist operating in the country, disgruntled armed groups in the oil-rich Delta region or any combination of the above. Go here to read more.