TERROR UPDATE - AT 7:04 P.M. ET:   A White House official is quoted by Fox as saying the incident aboard the Delta flight today (see below) was an attempted act of terrorism, and that the president is monitoring the situation closely.

Congressman Pete King (R-NY) is saying that the Nigerian perpetrator suffered third-degree burns, and that the device he attempted to set off was "fairly sophisticated."  He also is saying that the detonator was different from what we've encountered before.

Stand by.

December 25,  2009