It could still pull off an attack that would kill hundreds, as the most recent plot to bring down Northwest Airlines Flight 253 on Christmas Day 2009 attests.

他们仍能实施造成上百人死亡的袭击，就像他们最近一次被证实的在去年圣诞节密谋炸毁西北航空253航班的尝试。

youdao

Passengers on Northwest Airlines Flight 253 from Amsterdam to Detroit say just as the plane was getting ready to land there was a loud pop, and then panic.

VOA: standard.2009.12.26

The New York Times has an article today about Obama asking the TSA to reassess airport security rules after the Northwest 253 balls-burning bomb scare.

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This time, thanks to luck and bravery, the 278 passengers and crew of Northwest Flight 253 avoided death.

WSJ: Terrorist Attempts Attack on Airplane

The United States was attacked, allegedly by Umar Farouk AbdulMutallab, who got past whatever security precautions might have stopped him from boarding Northwest Flight 253 for Detroit, Michigan.

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