RIVERDALE, Md. - The attempted plane bombing has brought fear and nervousness to the airports but a local community is also fearing the worst. Local Nigerians say they are worried about a backlash.

Isa Abbas, a Muslim Nigerian who lives in Gaithersburg, reflects a view that many D.C.-area Nigerians seem to have: disbelief that terrorism suspect 23-year-old Umar Mutallab is one of them.

"He can't be a Nigerian because it has never been in our name or in our culture," said Abbas.

Kate Chan, who is also Nigerian, offered, "Yeah, he's Nigerian but he didn't grow up in Nigeria. He studied in Britain."

Nigeria is a country of 140 million people about half who are Christian and half who are Muslim. People from the two religions often have bloody conflicts there.

But as we moved around the restaurants and stores of Nigerians in the D.C.-area Tuesday, we found only disappointment, if not contempt, for the suspect and sympathy for the suspect's father.

"He did not call. He did not write a letter. He went himself to the embassy to prevent this," said Joe Njiaju about the father.

He continued, "Unfortunately, somebody dropped the ball. Thank god, he did not succeed."

As with any ethnic group there's the question: what does this mean to their image with the rest of American society?

Funmi Olugbemi said, "My first impression is, 'oh God, they're going to be on Nigerians now.' We been through so much in this country."

Tosin Ogunsalu wondered, "I'm Nigerian and does this mean we're going to be getting singled out?"

"I have a dual citizenship," said Mobolaji Aluko, a long-time Howard University professor .

He says Nigerians are involved in many aspects of Washington area society from taxi drivers to commerce.

"We contribute to this country and we're hoping that does not have a lasting impact," said Aluko.

But there were nigerians who would not go on camera Tuesday. One who insisted there are a lot of Umars in Nigeria who might not blow up a plane, but would kill you for dropping a Koran on the floor.

Many older Nigerians like Rasaq Alabi see the suspect as a tragic figure. Alabi said, "He doesn't know what he's doing. He's misguided."

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