There are 20 more al-Qaeda-trained bombers like me, Abdulmutallab confesses - Re

After his arraignment on Friday, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, a 23-year-old Nigerian, charged with trying to blow up a United States (US) airliner, has confessed to security agents that 20 others were being trained to carry out similar attacks.

According to CBS reports, British intelligence officials said while being interrogated, Abdulmutallab had “boasted that close to 20 other young Muslim men were being prepared in Yemen to use the same technique to blow up airliners.”

During his first public appearance at a US court sitting in Detroit on Friday, none of Abdulmutallab’s family members showed up, but “in the front rows sat a delegation from the Nigerian embassy in Washington,” BBC reported.

He pleaded not guilty to the six-count federal charges filed against him, arising from his botched Christmas Day bombing of Northwest Flight 253 from Amsterdam to Detroit.

Officials from the two US top security agencies, the CIA and FBI, leading the investigation, said Abdulmutallab has since offered useful information which will help in his trial.

In one of the charges, Abdulmutallab allegedly stitched two highly explosive substances into his clothes, and tried to detonate them as the plane carrying 290 people approached Detroit.

But the device failed, and instead, Abdulmutallab was arrested after being overpowered by passengers and crew. Five minutes before the case was due to start, BBC reported that Abdulmutallab had hobbled into the court, “perhaps because of the injuries sustained or the leg irons he was wearing.

“Considering the violence of the attempted crime, Room 100 of the US district court in Detroit was surprisingly calm, just an hour ahead of Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab’s first appearance.

“Seating was limited to those who had queued outside on the frosty pavement for a pass several hours earlier.” Abdulmutallab reportedly wore leg shackles and walked slowly into the court room, after which he sat in a chair and for several moments, listened and nodded to his lawyers.

“He looked up slowly, his eyes staring with a slightly vacant look at the court. His shoulders were hunched,” BBC reported. The court appearance lasted less than three minutes, after which the presiding judge said there would be further proceedings at a later date, BBC reported.

The six-count federal charges:

*Attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction

*Attempted murder within the special aircraft jurisdiction of the US

*Wilful attempt to destroy and wreck an aircraft

*Wilfully placing a destructive device in or near an aircraft which was likely to endanger the safety of the aircraft

*Two counts of possession of a firearm, that is, the bomb, in furtherance of violent crime.

During court session

Abdulmutallab declined to enter a plea during his first court appearance to all the charges filed against him after which the judge entered him for a “not guilty” plea.

“He confirmed his name and its spelling, as well as his age in a soft voice, prompting the judge to ask him to speak up.

“Asked if he had had time to read the indictment, he answered “yes.” He also confirmed he understood the charges.

“Asked if he had taken any drugs in the previous 24 hours, he said he had taken some pain killers,” BBC reported.

Abdulmutallab was treated for burns after his arrest at Detroit Airport.

Penalty

If found guilty, AbdulMutallab faces life imprisonment.

Little emotion

“Abdulmutallab stayed standing, neither aggressive, nor cowed.

“It was hard to read his thoughts, hard to tell what he has been thinking in the 14 days since the attempted bombing.

“His lawyer told the court he would not be applying for bail.

“The judge said there would be further proceedings at a later date, and after a little more procedure, that was it. Less than three minutes in all.

“As the court rose, and the judge left the chamber, Abdulmutallab turned to his left to walk out of the court.

“Then - in the first display of any real interest on his part - he craned his neck to take a look at the front row of the public gallery.

“It was hard to read any emotion on his face as he looked for anyone he knew, a family member perhaps.

“And then he walked slowly out.” BBC reported