A Nigerian man, claiming to be linked to Al-Qaeda, allegedly tried to set off an incendiary device aboard a transatlantic airplane Friday as it descended toward a Detroit airport, reminding us that the threat of terrorism can come from an unexpected direction.

At this point, it is difficult to say if  Mr Abdul mutallab — whose name appears to be included in the government’s records of terrorism suspects — is an Al-Qaeda member or a lone sympathizer. It is a wake-up call for the US and its allies. Many people forget that Nigeria has over 70 million Muslims on its soil, and that right after 9/11, many baby boys born in the Muslim regions of Nigeria were named “Ossama”.

Blind fanaticism is a very dangerous thing. While all the attention is focused on Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen, and Somalia, the danger can come from a country such as Nigeria, where poverty and corruption can put its youth at the mercy of Al-Qaeda extremists. It is known that airports in developing countries are sieves — Westerners should not make assumptions that the screening procedures in those countries are followed properly. 9/11 has changed the world; the US and its allies must adapt to the new reality. As the Hausa of Niger say, “If you close your eyes to facts, you will learn through accidents.”