Al-Qaeda has reportedly claimed responsibility for the failed attack on a US airliner on Christmas Day, a firm that monitors terrorist activity said Monday, dpa reported.
The IntelCenter located outside Washington said al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, or AQAP, posted a statement on a website saying that it was behind the failed plot to blow up Delta/Northwest Airlines Flight 253 as it descended to land in Detroit from Amsterdam.
AQAP also released a photo of the suspect who allegedly tried to detonate the explosives, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab.
IntelCenter said AQAP's claimed the attack was in retaliation for US assistance to the Yemeni government in carrying out attacks against al-Qaeda militants based in the country, and praised Abdulmutallab.
"With courage he was able to breach all the modern and sophisticated technologies and checkpoints at the airports around the world, putting his faith in God fearing no death," AQAP said.
"His act has dealt a huge blow to the myth of American and global intelligence services and showed how fragile its structures are," it said.
Abdulmutallab is believed to have received training and the explosives from al-Qaeda in Yemen. He reportedly told officials about the connection, and that he obtained the materials in Yemen, after he was detained on Friday.