Accused bomber calls U.S. a ‘cancer’
Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the Nigerian man accused of trying to blow up a flight on Christmas Day 2009, called the United States a “cancer” just before jury selection began on Tuesday in his federal trial.
Abdulmutallab, whose attack aboard a flight from Amsterdam Detroit led to a further tightening of U.S. aviation security, also blurted out “Anwar is alive,” an apparent reference to a cleric the U.S. has said was killed in an air raid last week in Yemen. Anwar al-Awlaki, an American living in Yemen, had been linked to Abdulmutallab.
Last month, Abdulmutallab muttered “Osama’s alive” to spectators as he was brought in for a hearing, an apparent reference to al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, shot dead in Pakistan in May by U.S. Navy Seals. He also mumbled “jihad” when the judge used the phrase “al Qaeda” as she read the charges against him.
Abdulmutallab is charged with attempting to detonate an explosive device sewn into his underwear as Northwest Flight 253 approached Detroit. But the device malfunctioned and burned Abdulmutallab, who was then overpowered by other passengers.
The Nigerian is charged with eight felonies, including conspiracy to commit an act of terrorism, attempted murder and attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction. He faces life in prison if convicted of the botched suicide bombing…