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Airline Attack

DETROIT – Wearing a chain at his ankles, a somber-looking Nigerian man accused of trying to blow up a U.S. airliner on Christmas said he understood the charges against him, triggering the defense of a criminal case that could lead to life in prison.

Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab’s arraignment in federal court Friday took less than five minutes and a not guilty plea was entered on his behalf. The 23-year-old said little, telling the judge simply that he understood the six-count indictment he faces and the maximum penalty.

Abdulmutallab’s first court appearance came exactly two weeks after an Amsterdam-to-Detroit flight in which passengers rushed to his seat and put out flames that could have caused a disaster. The FBI says Abdulmutallab tried to destroy Northwest Airlines Flight 253, which was carrying nearly 300 people, by injecting chemicals into a package of explosives concealed in his underwear.

RELATED: OPINION: Attempted Terrorist Plot Is Bad News For Nigerians

The alleged attack has shaken up airport security worldwide. President Barack Obama considers it an attempted strike against the United States by an al-Qaida affiliate and faults his administration for not preventing it despite intelligence reports.

grand jury this week indicted Abdulmutallab on six charges. The most serious — attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction — could land him in prison for life if convicted.

He replied “yes” when asked Friday if he understood the charges and said he had taken “some pain pills” after the judge inquired whether he had used any drugs or alcohol in the past 24 hours. Abdulmutallab, who wore a white T-shirt, khaki-style pants and tennis shoes, is being held at a federal prison in Milan, Mich. He had been treated at a hospital for burns.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark Randon entered a not guilty plea for Abdulmutallab. It is routine practice in federal court for the defendant to allow the judge to enter a plea.

RELATED: Family Of Terror Suspect Release Statement

The defense team did not challenge the government’s request to keep Abdulmutallab in pre-trial custody. After the hearing, one of his attorneys declined to discuss the case.

“It’s just too soon in the process to make any comment,” Leroy Soles said at a nearby coffee shop. The date of the next hearing was not set.

A Detroit-area native who sat six rows in front of Abdulmutallab on the plane watched the arraignment from the courtroom gallery. Hebba Aref, who drew international attention in 2008 after being refused a seat directly behind then-candidate Obama at a Detroit rally because she was wearing a headscarf, said she wants Abdulmutallab to be “tried by the system” but also is concerned about what his case could mean.

It’s the “whole ideology out there that’s radical and misuses a beautiful religion,” said Aref, 27, a Muslim. “That’s what needs to be dealt with and deterred. … He’s just a small part of it.”

U.S. investigators say Abdulmutallab told them he received training and instructions from al-Qaida operatives in Yemen. His father warned the U.S. Embassy in Nigeria that his son had drifted into extremism in Yemen, but that threat never was fully digested by the U.S. security apparatus.

Maryam Uwais, a lawyer in Nigeria, and Mahmud Kazaure, a lawyer from Maryland, told The Associated Press they were sent by Abdulmutallab’s family to observe Friday’s hearing. Neither have a role in the case but both spoke briefly with the suspect’s legal team. They declined further comment.

Outside the courthouse, authorities set up metal barricades and limited foot traffic. One demonstrator held a sign that read: “No U.S. Rights For Terrorists.”

About 50 men and women identifying themselves as Detroit-area Muslims chanted “We are Americans” as they marched behind the barricades to denounce terrorism. About a dozen of them carried U.S. flags or signs with messages such as “Not in the name of Islam.”

RELATED: Dutch & Nigerian Airports Use Full Body Scanners

Four Muslims who were part of the protest performed Friday prayers in the court’s small museum on the first floor.

“We have prayer rugs outside in the car. We could have done a show for the media,” protest organizer Majed Moughni said. “We’re doing this for God.”

Tags: Barack Obama, Christmas, Nigeria, Terrorism
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  • http://www.blackplanet.com/jazzpast/ jazzpast

    if you easily believe that this man is a terrorist then might as well decapitate yourself because you already lost your mind, but your head is still there physically.

    if this man is really an Al-Queda member, the same group that the government believes to have nuclear weapon and wmd, why would he try to blow up an airplane with a homemade bomb? With all the sophisticated reports by the NSA, government spys, CIA, and the military on this group, and youre going to convince me with a one man armed Al-Qaeda. If you research all bombing by extremist they never work alone,never.Moreover, isnt it laughable that this man wasnt searched by the TSA and the police in the airport, when they profile us considerably.It is a very flawed situation, and would like to know what was really happening during the time of the so called event taking place.for example, the media was on MJ’s death for weeks.Yet, that same time Cynthia McKinney and others were kidnapped by the Israeli forces when they boarded a ship with aid to the Palestinians.

    in addition, when this so called terrorist made this move.Obama made it clear that the airports need new security systems.The next day, new body scan security system were installed in large airports across the country.S you are telling me that you can build a new security system in less than 24 hours with all the sophisticated features in it? and this company racked up money in wall street that next day? who owns this company? Chaney? Bush? Clinton? Rockefeller?

    on top of that, Obama declared behind closed doors that he is not transferring the illegally detained alleged terrorist from Guantanamo Bay. Hmmm, another way of saying. I signed the executive bill that Guantanamo Bay is staying open, and now Im just going keep breaking my promises.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/1GrayGal/ 1GrayGal

    Jazzpast….even if all of that is true, shouldn’t he still be convicted? When I look at this so-called terrorist I simply see a frightened kid who attempted to be a superstar and failed. He likely has no associations; only mental health problems. That said, whether working in conjunction with terrorists or working solely as a wannabe terrorist, the fact remains that it was his intention and he tried to take down a plane with an explosive. The fact that the explosive was crappy and the fact that he was unsuccessful are irrelevant are they not?

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Toni_Anthony/ Toni_Anthony

    If this young man internally HATES this life, how other’s believe, what other’s believe, what god other’s chooses to believe it, if he’s so full of hate, why don’t he settle it with himself? Why don’t he walk his A** off a tall building or walk in front of a speeding train? He want’s to take other’s lives based on HOW/WHAT he believes? Now as young A** will have decades, upon decades to think about a lot of sh**t? Let’s see WHAT god he praised when those gray hairs’ start growing out of his nose! His A** is GULITY AS CHARGED!!!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Jahz_Lynx1/ Jahz_Lynx1

    Habari Gani jazzpast! Excellent beginnings for this topic. I suspect robber-baron antics b/c common sense is lacking in this Christmas plot.
    His, on-board and in custody, photo is a facial blurred circle; why isn’t it a clear I.D.?

    It was reported that the heat and smoke was intense enough to cause damage
    to the seating carriage but his underwear are virtually intact except for the small burn on the backside. Its reported he suffered 3rd degree burns but he’s together enough to appear in court 2 weeks later.

    If you start tracking this story you can see it shift as Yahoo US/UK postings begin making changes to exsisting stories. I checked one before posting here and a 12/28 cached copy was re-edited just 40 minutes ago. The original had been removed.

    I found this interesting….

    “News from The Associated Press There is no specific mention of terrorism in the seven-page indictment, … This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. …
    hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_AIRLINE_ATTACK?…”

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/littlebabymia/ littlebabymia

    F**k this and all the terrorist that are in custody KILL THEIR ASS and charge the family to get the body. Land of the free and open to be attacked, f**k that start killing these stupid fools and they’ll get the message. They are pumping fear into us and its working they win every time we change our lives to avoid them, f**k that kill them and they’ll get the message. The land should have been cleared in 2001 and renamed East United States of America, war is not nice nor friendly. Our soldiers are losing their lives daily and these mofo’s keep attacking us KILL THEM f**k the dumb s**t KILL THEM clear the land stop this hand holding sing-a-long s**t KILL HIM AND THE REST OF THEM, because they for damn sure trying to kill us.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/jazzpast/ jazzpast

    Mzuri Jahz_Lynx

    It is a very flawed story. I do suspect that this young brother will be detained and never heard of ever again, but he will be walking around with the public soon enough with a new bank account and new cash in tow.If one ever took chemistry in school, the whole make of the bomb and the investigation’s description does not add up, except that we have a new security system and a new way to harass all of us in the airport. This reminds me of that brother that was caught with a loaded shoes all by himself, and i bet he is walking freely amongst us now. at that time, thats how they imposed the new homeland security rules and new security system.

    If he is guilty as charged, thats fine.however, we still want the whole truth.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/jazzpast/ jazzpast

    @lilbabymia

    the so called terrorist that youre calling for a massive genocide hasnt been proven guilty, thats like saying all black men should be condemned for not being fathers to their kids when not all black men are negros.Also, you forgot that their enemies are the white men not us.i guess thats what happened when youre conditioned by the failing educational system of this land.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/slit_lcka005/ slit_lcka005

    jazzpast, it’s because of dumbassed statements like yours that no one wants these terrorist sc** to be given miranda rights, and lawyer up. I suppose this dumb f**k blew his balls off on a plane because of spontaneous human combustion, and there were blacks on the plane as well as whites you stupid s**t! They don’t care what color you are or even if you bow to allah, as long as they can kill someone and make a show of it they’re happy! The kids own father tried to warn both the Nigerian and US embassies that his son had become an extremist wack job, but it’ll take something more drastic, like the deaths of someone close to you before some of you dumbasses get it jazzpast, and Jahz_Lynx1!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/littlebabymia/ littlebabymia

    @jazzpast, your are attempting to relate two(2) things that have nothing to do with each other. Now when I have to live in fear from planes, trains, automobiles and food that may be tainted from “this or that” something needs to be done. I’m super extreme on this madness of terror. That fool burnt himself while attempting to destroy many other lives. He is guilty of something. I have never attempted to blow up a plane with me on it nor will I ever. I smoking gun is all I see with this misguided fool. Now if you would like to take as you say “brother” place then kill you, I refuse to have my tax dollars feed, cloth and represent anyone or thing that poses harm to my country or American citizen’s. As far as a failing education system, I am not apart of that system sir. I am well educated and will attend law school this fall, so please do not blame point the blame where it should not be with your speel and deflection. That fool is a waste of space and air. My enemies are anyone who wants to cause my country, family and myself harm sir you may feel different, but I do not. War is not nice there is murder and harsh events will happen but damn it my country need to be safe from fools like him and you since you want to be apart of this foolishness. Next time get it right it is littlebabymia, you are a product of the failing common sense system, you damn fool. TELL HIM AGAIN slit_lcka005!!!
    jazzpast, you are helping in the “whiteman” keeping us down bulls**t. There are people out here that don’t give a damn if you are black, white, purple or yellow they hate and want to kill you because you were not brainwashed into their beleives. They want to kill you because you are not a[art of their group, you are the type of person they look for because you don’t have a strong mind of your own. You need to get real and real serious. You may need to be added to the no fly list fool. Stupid f**k

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/blackandproud61/ blackandproud61

    charging this Nigerian so call terorist without charging the securities whereby this boy has passed through before getting to the flight,it is no case

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/RSGrey2/ RSGrey2

    You know, reading the comments here tell me exactly how the educational system has failed…in teaching some reading comprehension and critical analysis. Isn’t it laughable that someone thinks that the TSA should have searched him at the airport, when he came from Nigeria and then Amsterdam? I know I haven’t seen any TSA job postings in either country, so thinking that the TSA should have searched him is a thought not based in any type of reason or logic. And asking why he didn’t use a more sophisticated weapon is another fallcy meant to fog the issue. the reason he used something simple was because he thought it would get through security at the airport he came from (obviously, that worked). I’m not sure what analysis came up with the fact that all terrorist attacks are done by teams; I’m sure a true analysis would show that so-called “lone wolf” attacks would be much more effective. Any common criminal would tell you that the more people you have involved, the more chance you stand of a failure. Weather he had backing or was a lone actor is also irrelvant as mentioned earlier – the fact stands that he attempted to do harm to others and his crime should be judged based on that alone. As for Reid (the so-called “shoe bomber” alluded to by others), you won’t find him walking around anywhere – he’s in a Supermax prison in CO with the rest of the caught and convicted terrorists. Cells there aren’t big enough to walk around in, and he only gets out about 1 hour a day. My guess is that is where this “Underwear bomber” willl wind up after trial. and saying that the enemiies of terrorists are white men? Fallacy to the extreme. Their enemies (all you really have to do is just read or listen to what they say – the truth is out there for you to see if you choose) are anyone who do not believe as they do. In fact, their idea of friendship includes blowing you up for their cause, even if you didn’t choose martydom – after all, they have all the answers on what’s best for you. Now you may feel comfortable dying for someone else’s cause, but I choose life. While I don’t think genocide is the answer (which wasn’t really what was said, now was it? Another fallacy meant to deflect there…), I do advocate a strong response, one that involves a multi-front approach involving diplomacy and action.

    In short, it isn’t so much as the article is flawed, just the reading and understanding of it.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Killa_Kanibus/ Killa_Kanibus

    How is it that I can’t bring a water bottle on a plane, but this guy got a whole bomb on there? Im never flying again. I’ll drive everywhere I need to go from now on. @least I know 4 a fact there’s no bombs in my car.

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