Passenger tried to blow-up airline Eds

An international airline passenger allegedly attempted to blow-up a flight from Amsterdam to Detroit by trying to set of an explosive device, US media reported on Friday.

An unnamed source told ABC News that investigators were interviewing a Nigerian man who claimed to have been directed by al- Qaeda to ignite an explosive on the flight. However, the credibility of the man's statements were being questioned, the broadcaster said.

Earlier, an airline spokeswoman had said a passenger had been subdued after setting off a firecracker on the Northwest Airlines flight carrying 278 passengers, dpa reported.

The man was on a government watch list, but not its no-fly list, ABC reported.

US President Barack Obama had been informed of the incident during his Christmas vacation in Hawaii. The White House was considering the incident a potential attempted terrorist attack, NBC News reported from Honolulu.

Passengers described hearing a popping noise as the plane was preparing to land, then seeing a brief fire. There was yelling and screaming, they told local media.

Another man then jumped on the suspect to subdue him, the witnesses said.

Spokesmen for the Department of Homeland Security and the White House could not immediately be reached for comment.

Two people were injured and one person was being treated in hospital. The passenger who set off the firecracker was subdued and the pilot was able to land safely.