Obama to get report on how Nigerian bomber boarded plane

US PRESIDENT Barack Obama was due to receive a preliminary report last night on how a 23-year-old Nigerian with suspected terrorist ties managed to board a plane he is accused of attempting to bomb on Christmas Day, along with recommendations on how to prevent a sequel.

The report is just the first step in what is shaping up to be an Obama-led effort to change the nation’s intelligence practices after an attack that failed not because of US anti-terrorism policies, but despite them. Administration officials said the system to protect the nation’s skies from terrorists was deeply flawed and, even then, the government failed to follow its own directives.

White House homeland security and counter-terrorism adviser John Brennan was scheduled to send Obama a first summary of the nation’s efforts to track more than half a million potential terrorists. Officials said it was unlikely Obama would speak publicly about the report, although the president probably would talk several times throughout the day with his national security team, despite being on holiday.