'Failed airline bomb attack' dominates Sunday papers

One story dominates Sunday's newspapers - the alleged attempt by a Nigerian man, with links to London, to blow up a plane over the US city of Detroit.

The Sunday Times wonders why he was allowed to fly in the first place, given there were concerns about his activities.

"Stopping those with known terrorist connections should be the easy bit," the paper's leader says.

The Sunday Telegraph calls it "an intelligence and security failure of staggering proportions" and says "tough questions" now need to be asked about what happened.

No 'mere irritation'

Security has been stepped up at airports following the attempted attack, but some papers are sceptical.

One expert tells the Sunday Mirror that "until every passenger arriving at any airport is treated as a new potential threat, we will remain in peril".

But the Independent on Sunday's travel editor says the incident shows just how vital the "rigorous checks" at airports are.

They added "a frisson of fear" when first introduced after 9/11, but were increasingly seen as "a mere irritation" - that is, until now, the paper says.

'Astonishing bravery'

Several papers focus on passenger Jasper Schuringa who tackled the alleged bomber on Flight 253.

The News of the World says his "lightning reactions" prevented disaster, as he put out flames coming from the explosive device with his bare hands.

The People also hails the Dutchman's "astonishing bravery".

Finally, the Sunday Express discusses the bomb suspect's "rich kid background", saying his London flat had "roof gardens, bedecked with lavender".

'Fearless Five'

In other news, the Observer front page features a call by an economist for richer students to pay up to £30,000 a year for a degree course.

The paper says the issue is "moral as much as financial" and must be debated if the government decides to press ahead with its plans to slash university funding.

The Mail on Sunday, meanwhile, claims Justice Secretary Jack Straw is leading a "Fearless Five" - a group of ministers who want rid of Gordon Brown before the next election.

This shows that the PM "presides over a government riven by institutionalised treachery", the paper claims.