'Underpants bomber' fires legal team in US court
Accusations: terror suspect Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, who studied in London
12 April 2012
Accused airline underpants bomber Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab has dismissed his legal team and will represent himself in court in Detroit today.
The 24-year-old former president of the Islamic Society at University College London, who allegedly tried to blow up a flight from Amsterdam to the city last Christmas Day, is due for a pre-trial hearing. He will be accompanied by a standby lawyer who can give advice.
Last month Abdulmutallab suggested he wanted to plead guilty to some charges.
The Nigerian is charged with attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction to blow up Northwest Airlines Flight 253 by trying to fire to explosives hidden in his underwear. He has been held at a federal prison in Michigan since his arrest.
