Romulus , Michigan ( CNN ) -- A passenger on an international flight bound for the United States Friday ignited a small explosive device shortly before landing in a move the White House called an attempted terrorist attack , a senior administration official said . Another passenger on the Northwest flight from Amsterdam , Netherlands , to Detroit , Michigan , quickly helped subdue and isolate the young male suspect with the aid of the cabin crew , passenger Syed Jafry said . The suspect , identified by a U.S. government official as 23-year-old Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab , was placed in custody and is being treated for second- and third-degree burns on his thighs , according to federal law enforcement and airline security sources . The sources said the suspect flew into Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam on a KLM flight from Lagos , Nigeria , and is not believed to be on any `` no fly '' list , although his name does appear in a U.S. database of people with suspect connections . He did not undergo secondary security screening in Amsterdam , the administration official said . The administration official said there was no evidence that Abdulmatallab was a hard-core , trained member of al-Qaeda . The suspect , identified as a Nigerian national , claimed to have extremist ties and said the explosive device `` was acquired in Yemen along with instructions as to when it should be used , '' said a federal security bulletin obtained by CNN . The FBI is investigating , bureau spokeswoman Sandra Berchtold said . The remains of the device used are being sent to an FBI explosives lab in Quantico , Virginia , for analysis , the sources said . President Obama , who is spending the holidays in his home state of Hawaii , was briefed on the incident during a secure phone call with aides , and instructed in a subsequent discussion with security advisers `` that all appropriate measures be taken to increase security for air travel , '' said White House spokesman Bill Burton . The president made no changes to his schedule , Burton said . The Department of Homeland Security issued a statement Friday saying that air passengers `` may notice additional screening measures put into place to ensure the safety of the traveling public on domestic and international flights . '' Passengers described the brief moments of panic on board as screams erupted and flight attendants ran for fire extinguishers . Jafry , who was sitting in seat 16G , said the plane was just beginning to descend when passengers heard a pop . `` Everybody got a little bit startled , '' he said . `` After a few seconds or so ... there was ... kind of a flamish light and there was fire '' and people around the immediate area began to panic . One woman told CNN affiliate WDIV that a man threw a blanket over the suspect 's legs to help put out the small fire . `` It was terrifying , '' Richelle Keepman said . `` I think we all thought we were n't going to land , we were n't going to make it . '' Passenger Elias Fawaz told WDIV that the explosion sounded `` like a balloon being popped '' and said he could smell smoke . WDIV coverage of plane incident . Jafry said the incident was under control within minutes , crediting the crew and nearby passengers for the rapid response . One person was taken to the University of Michigan Medical Center in Ann Arbor , hospital spokeswoman Tracy Justice said . `` All passengers have deplaned and out of an abundance of caution , the plane was moved to a remote area , '' where the plane and baggage were rescreened , the Transportation Security Administration said in a statement . Passengers were interviewed by law enforcement authorities before being allowed to leave the airport . No other suspicious materials were found on the plane or in luggage , the law enforcement and airline security sources said . No other suspicious materials were found on the plane or in luggage , the law enforcement and airline security sources said . The suspect had only carry-on luggage . Another passenger on the Northwest flight transferred from the same KLM flight in Amsterdam but officials found no connection between the two , the sources said . The plane , an Airbus 330 , landed shortly before noon . It was carrying 278 passengers . Delta is the parent company of Northwest . CNN 's Mike Brooks , Jeanne Meserve , Kevin Bohn , Elise Labott , Ed Henry and Rachel Streitfeld contributed to this report .
White House is considering the incident an attempted terrorist attack . He is immediately subdued ; FBI investigating . It originated in Amsterdam , Netherlands , ended in Detroit , Michigan .