Obama security nominee pulls out

Washington, 21 Jan-(ANA)-President Barack Obama's choice to head up US transport security has withdrawn his name from consideration.

Erroll Southers blamed "political ideology" for the bitter opposition to his nomination.

In his statement, he made no mention of a controversy in which he accessed a federal database to check on his ex-wife's boyfriend.

The White House said President Obama accepted Mr Southers' decision "with great sadness".

It leaves the Transportation Security Administration without a permanent head at a time when it is still dealing with the aftermath of the alleged plot to bomb a plane over Detroit on Christmas Day.

During the confirmation process, Mr Southers admitted downloading confidential records in the late 1980s about his ex-wife's boyfriend, and passing them on to police department staff.

The Washington Post reported that the nomination had faced fierce opposition from Republicans, especially in the light of suggestions that he may have misled Congress over the database checks. (ANA)

FA/ANA/21 January 2010-------