the cia uncovered an al qaeda operation involving an updated underwear bomb from yemen. it was meant to target an airliner headed to the u.s. with a device specifically designed to make it pass security. steve handelsman reports. reporter: u.s. officials say no passengers or u.s. bound airliners were ever in danger. they say they foiled the plot before a suicide bomber could buy his ticket. and officials say the fbi has the bomb from yemen in its labs for testing. they say it s the next generation of the underwear bomb that fizzled, burning confessed al qaeda operative umar abdulmutallab on a flight into detroit christmas day 2009. the bomb was nonmetallic, designed to pass through undetected through security, proof that al qaeda is still targeting air travel and yemen is home to al qaeda s most active organization. this country has to continue to remain vigilant against those that would seek to attack this country. and we will do everything necessary to keep america safe
paula faris is on assignment. i m rob nelson. good morning, everybody. there is still a threat this morning, since the master bombmaker behind this latest plot is still on the loose. and there s questions whether airport security in this country is capable of detecting this new threat. abc s tahman bradley is in washington with more. good morning, tahman. reporter: good morning, rob and sunny. officials say the plot was being run by the al qaeda group in yemen. the would-be bomber was found in yemen. the cia and usa counterterrorism partners thwarted an attempt by al qaeda. this morning, forensic experts are studying the bomb, trying to determine if it would have gotten through airport security. the plot was foiled. so, no flights were in danger. the u.s. government is saying it never came close because they had insider information, insider control. which implies they had somebody on the inside that wasn t going to let it happen. reporter: authorities say this lates
given temporary custody of the children. late last night, the former nfl great tweeted god is so good. don t ever doubt him. and an attempted robbery is cautioning a firestorm as much for the actions of the thief as for the actions of his victim. surveillance video shows that the man demanded the woman s purse, but she ran away without her 4-year-old daughter. now the child eluded his grip as well. later the mom ran back to a store for help but the man attacked again and stole her purse. the police say she acted properly but some parents do not agree. i don t think i agree. that s i don t get that. now to politics where the republicans are closing ranks. rick santorum officially announced his support for mitt romney s presidential bid in an e-mail to his supporters. santorum says that after romney visited him in pittsburgh last friday he was impressed with his deep understanding of the importance issues. santorum also said he will keep pressure on romney to hire mor
properly but some parents do not agree. i don t think i agree. that s i don t get that. now to politics where the republicans are closing ranks. rick santorum officially announced his support for mitt romney s presidential bid in an e-mail to his supporters. santorum says that after romney visited him in pittsburgh last friday he was impressed with his deep understanding of the importance issues. santorum also said he will keep pressure on romney to hire more conservatives for his team. and president obama, meanwhile, is going positive. he s out with a new tv ad that says america is on the rise and credits the president with pulling the economy back from the brink. it also detailses president obama s foreign policy accomplishments, including the killing of osama bin laden n ending the war in iraq. the new ad called coming back will air in nine politically important states. it s going to be a long, hard slog until early november. well, oprah winfrey s golden to
people on the flight spoke out. one passenger today is your turn and justice will be served. mike tobin outside the federal courthouse, no surprises with this life sentence. reporter: that life sentence without parole was forgone conclusion the attempted christmas day bombings was an act of terrorism that can t be qibld with. abdulmutallab didn t help his own case when he addressed the court and mujahedeen are proud to kill in god s name and they will continue doing so until all the jews are driven out of palestine. he said that today is a day of victory and god is great. shep: few more passengers spoke today, mike, what did they say. reporter: it was interesting, they hit a bunch of different points, one of them told abdulmutallab he is not a holy warrior. he is nothing but a patsy.