News

US President Barack Obama has laid blame on an al-Qaida affiliate for a Christmas Day attack that has prompted a top-to-bottom review of how the nation''s intelligence agencies failed to prevent the botched bombing aboard a Detroit-bound airliner.

In his most direct public language to date, the president described the path through Yemen of 23-year-old Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the Nigerian accused of trying to destroy Northwest Flight 253.

The president also emphasized that the United States would continue its partnerships with friendly countries -citing Yemen, in particular- to fight "terrorists" and extremist groups around the globe.

Obama said in his weekly radio and Internet address that the White House released on Saturday as the president vacationed in Hawaii: "We''re learning more about the suspect."