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The Savannah Tribune • Wednesday, December 30, 2009 - 9
Family of Nigerian Bomb Suspect Pens
Open Letter Expressing Shock
Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab
Special to the NNPA from
GIN
The family of a young
Nigerian traveller who
allegedly attempted to deto
nate a powerful explosive
while travelling to Detroit
from Amsterdam, has issued
a statement that provides
more details of the alleged
conversion of their son to
extremist beliefs.
The statement was
prepared by the suspect's
father, Dr. Alhaji Umaru
AbdulMutallab, a banker and
a member of Nigeria's pow
erful ruling elite. He had
been identified early in the
course of the near-disaster by
a Nigerian website.
According to the story
as it first appeared on
SaharaReporters.com, an
anti-corruption website pro
duced by Nigerians, Dr.
AbdulMutallab said he had
warned U.S. embassy offi
cials of his son's possible
links to an al Qaeda organi
zation that grew out of a visit
to Yemen and his studies in
London.
Although his son, Umar
Farouk Abdulmutallab, was
added to the terrorist watch
list, he was not denied board
ing privileges on the
Amsterdam-Chicago
Northwest Air flight. He
reportedly paid cash for a
one-way ticket and was
allowed to board.
Dr. AbdulMutallab released
the following letter:
"Our family, like the rest of
the world, were woken up in
the early hours of Saturday,
26th December, 2009 to the
news of an attempt to blow
up a plane by a young
Nigerian man, who was later
identified as Umar Farouk
AbdulMutallab. Umar
Farouk AbdulMutallab is the
son of Alhaji (Dr.) Umaru
AbdulMutallab, the head of
this Family.
"Prior to this incident, his
father, having become con
cerned about his disappear
ance and stoppage of com
munication while schooling
abroad, reported the matter
to the Nigerian security
agencies about two months
ago, and to some foreign
security agencies about a
month and a half ago, then
sought their assistance to
find and return him home.
"We provided them with all
the information required of
us to enable them do this. We
were hopeful that they would
find and return him home. It
was while we were waiting
for the outcome of their
investigation that we arose to
the shocking news of that
day."
"The family will continue to
fully cooperate with local
and international security
agencies towards the investi
gation of this matter, while
we await results of the full
investigation. We, along
with the whole world, are
thankful to Al-Mighty God
that there were no lives lost
in the incident. May God
continue to protect us all,
amen."
Georgia Receives High Marks for
Educational Data System
Georgia is one of only
11 states that have the 10
Essential Elements of devel
oping and using longitudinal
data systems to improve stu
dent achievement, according
to a national report released
recently.
The U.S. Chamber of
Commerce report, Leaders
and Laggards, also showed
Georgia ahead of other states
in the use of data to impact
classroom instruction.
"These two reports verify
that Georgia is on the right
track to getting a longitudi
nal data system that will help
our educators across the
state make sound policy
decisions for the benefit of
the students," said State
Superintendent of Schools
Kathy Cox. "Accurate data
that identifies a problem is
critical to tackling an issue
head on. Without good data
we would just be engaged in
random acts of school
improvement."
Data Quality Campaign
(DQC) ReportThe 2009
DQC report showed Georgia
is one of only 11 states to
have all 10 Essential
Elements. DQC's annual sur
vey results track individual
states' progress towards
implementing the 10
Essential Elements, as well
as the policy implications of
creating longitudinal sys
tems. The DQC provides a
forum for states to learn
from each other as they con
tinue to improve their sys
tems.
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Report In it's second
Leaders and Laggards report
measuring Education
Innovation,
Georgia was one of only five
states to receive more than
one "A" in the eight cate
gories. The "A's" were
given for Georgia's quality
data system and the ability
to remove ineffective teach
ers. The report highlighted
Georgia's data system and
how the public reporting of
college remediation data is
factored into the accounta
bility system.
"Our existing data col
lection and reporting infra
structure is not perfect
yet but we are on our way,"
said Superintendent Cox.
The federal govern
ment has also recognized
Georgia's commitment to a
robust educational data sys
tem. In April, Georgia was
one of twenty-seven states
awarded a Longitudinal
Data System (LDS) grant,
and one of only three states
to receive the maximum
amount: $8.9 million.
arver
Or. Emily Crowtofd
Yakub Sanders
Timiha Wilbon
Carver Staff Member
Yakub Sanders, an 11th grade student at
Sol C. Johnson High School, has opened o
savings account at Carver State Bank,
Yokub is saving to open his own business
someday. He is the 3rd generation of his
tamily to bank at Carver. His mother, Dr.
Emily Crawford, her parents and other
family members have enjoyed the friendly
and professional service at Carver State
Bank for many years.
Savannah’s Financial Leader Since 1927
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jfdk www.carverstatebank.com
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