‘Underwear bomber’ pleads guilty to airline attack

[auntAgonist]

Source: Toronto Globe and Mail

A Nigerian man charged with trying to blow up a Detroit-bound plane for al-Qaida with a bomb in his underwear has suddenly pleaded guilty on the second day of his trial.

Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab answering questions from a federal judge Wednesday before pleading guilty to charges that include conspiracy to commit terrorism and attempted murder.

Also..

http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/index.ssf/2011/10/breaking_accused_underwear_bom.html

The attorney for a Nigerian charged with trying to blow up a Detroit-bound plane for al-Qaida says the man will plead guilty.

Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab is answering questions from a federal judge Wednesday after his attorney told the court he wants to plead guilty on the second day of trial his trial Detroit.

He's accused of trying to blow up Northwest Airlines Flight 253 with a bomb in his underwear on Christmas 2009.

This story will be update

Read more: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/americas/underwear-bomber-to-plead-guilty-to-airline-attack-attorney/article2198420/

[tanyev]

1. Thanks for a miserable experience trying to get back from a Christmas visit to Canada, jerk.

[Blue_Tires]

13. I was in Rio -- Had to be at the airport at 3 for at 10:30 flight

[leveymg]

2. I guess he won't have to testify about al-Awlaki and the guy who reportedly got him on the plane.

Another opportunity to get the facts on the record lost.

[KansDem]

5. I've wondered how he was able to get on an international flight without a passport.

And who was the "well-dressed man" who helped him board?

And why was he able to board when American intelligence agencies had a warning from his father?

Makes you wonder...

[Nuclear Unicorn]

6. Defendants cannot be required to testify. All testimony from defendants has to be voluntary.

just sayin'

[leveymg]

14. Who said it was the defendant who doesn't want testimony about that?

[Nuclear Unicorn]

19. Well, if dude had something to say he could include it in his guilty plea

There's nothing to prevent that. And any statements he makes can and will be presented.

[treestar]

17. When would he have "had to testify?"

[msanthrope]

18. I suspect his sentencing hearing might be interesting. nt

[Swede Atlanta]

3. Bingo.........

I think he pleaded guilty because he was likely to be found guilty anyway. There would have to be some significant mistake by the prosecution for this not to be the outcome. Whether this is to drive a plea deal or not is unclear. The other thought is this way he would never have to testify about what he knows about Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. So he is still serving his terrorist masters.

[leveymg]

4. . . . Whomever that might be, wittingly or not.

[FLPanhandle]

7. Was there any doubt he is guilty?

No reason for a lawyer to take this to a full jury trial. It would be a waste of time & money.

[Downwinder]

8. He served his purpose and no one got killed.

[slackmaster]

9. What exactly did his "blessed weapon" save Muslims from?

:crazy:

[Downwinder]

10. Ask yourself that the next time you get groped.

[slackmaster]

11. I blame the Shoe Bomber for everything wrong with airline passenger screening in the USA

[Downwinder]

15. The Colossal Deceit Known As The Underwear Bomber Case

http://haskellfamily.blogspot.com/2011/09/colossal-deceit-known-as-underwear.html

[Ohio Joe]

20. A simply stupid CT

So... Umar is in on it and will go to jail for the rest of his life in order to make Haskel look stupid. The stupid CT's people will believe amaze me.

[Downwinder]

21. If history is any example

Umar will be in the Witness Protection Program.

[Ohio Joe]

22. WTF?

He will be in prison. Silliness.

[Downwinder]

23. Along with Michael Vernon Townley.

[Ohio Joe]

24. Just slightly different cases

Sheesh. CT'ers will go anywhere.

[timtom]

25. I've always been intrigued by your

constant and vehement discrediting of anything remotely "ct". It has always made me go "Hmmmm."

Underpants bomber, indeed! Now, THAT's laughable. And, he was so SINCERE...

[Ohio Joe]

26. Nice to have a fan...

or stalker... Which ever you are.

You seem to feel this guy was a joke and that everyone on the plane is lying except for one guy that has made a lot of conclusions from a very short view of the guy before boarding. That this one guy has been assured that he could get Umar off but they won't do that. All without a shred of evidence to back it up? Do you also believe that Umar will be free in a few months? Will you change your mind when he is in prison for the rest of his life or will you still believe it is some elaborate plot by the govt that has no evidence?

[timtom]

28. You and I simply have a divergence of opinion on this case.

Ever since JFK, I suspect government complicity in all things. Might be over the top. Ayup. But I bet I'm right more often than I'm wrong.

I want to credit you for not invoking the dreadful phrase, "batshit crazy".

WMD in Iraq, anyone? The Iranian assassination plot. Cui bono? Bailouts, with record bonuses. Still in Iraq/Afghanistan (and, being generous, I'm not even mentioning Libya). You get the picture. The list goes on and on.

So, either this administration and the previous one are abysmally stupid, or this is all purposeful toward a goal not being shared with the hoi polloi. I only see the two options.

[Ohio Joe]

29. That does not answer my question

Will you admit you were wrong when the guy gets life or still believe something with no evidence?

[timtom]

30. See, that's an irrelevant question in my world-view.

If he's an asset, he will be given a new identity and the world will be told that he's now in prison.

Or he will mysteriously die in prison or before then.

So, no. I won't admit I'm wrong.

If you and I had the time to see him in person before any adjudication and then we were to both be able to see him in prison a year or so later, I would then admit that I'm wrong.

I may very well be wrong now. But my first reaction to such stuff is to disbelieve it until proof to the contrary is shown.

Just like the proof that bin Laden masterminded 911. Just like Saddam having weapons of mass distruction.

Don't forget -- there was an announcement made in the early part of this century to create a department of disinformation. Now, why on earth do you suppose they would want that? Moreover, why would we assume it is not extant and merely sub rosa?

[Ohio Joe]

31. So you believe things not only with no evidence but...

With all the evidence pointing to the contrary for the sole reason that it is 'what the govt wants you to believe'. I'm curious... Will you attempt to confirm he is in prison or just assume he is not because you have not seen it?

[timtom]

33. Okay. You missed the point.

1) We have divergent opinions.
2) My tendency is to disbelieve ridiculous stories of this nature.
3) I found your tenacity and almost religious zeal in discrediting those with opposing opinions interesting, to say the least.

You sort of remind me at this point of Ken Starr. Asking questions like a prosecutor. In an exchange of views among people of quality, I would expect a give-and-take tone.

I've had my say, and you haven't yet.

[Ohio Joe]

34. You have not asked me for anything, so what do you want me to give?

Do you want me to say 'it could be'? Sorry, but I need facts and evidence, and when there are none, I can't buy it. As for my "tenacity and almost religious zeal in discrediting those with opposing opinions", if you really have followed my posts, you would know I only questions those with beliefs in things with no evidence or facts. Many CT's I leave alone completely. I find belief in things for no reason fascinating and try to get to understand why people believe what they do. You try to paint me as angry and fanatical but the truth is more curious and amused.

As for "divergent opinions", this is exactly what makes me curious. You believe this is a govt conspiracy, that the guy is innocent, that he will not serve jail time... All this based on zero facts... To me that is pretty funny so I try to probe into the thought process and to what lengths you will go to either prove this belief or dispel it. I find many CT'ers that believe in things with no evidence do exactly nothing to go either way and simply stay where they are. I'm simply curious where you are, if you do not wish to share, you do not have to.

[timtom]

35. Is there anyone else on this thread

who doubts the official story?

Is there any doubt in anyone's mind as to the veracity of this story?

The answer is "Yes!" to both questions. Do you think we do this because it's fun?

Cynthia McKinney was VILIFIED for daring to suggest that we need a real investigation into the events of 911. VILIFIED! Why didn't Zell Miller simply have a discussion with her? Why didn't we get a substantive investigation? (Unless you are one who believes in the Philip Zelikow version.)

There is no definitive answer to any of the shit that's happened in the last ten years. So, I find it curious that you vigorously defend the indefensible -- that you have a grip on the absolute truth. That's what I find curious.

[Ohio Joe]

36. Try to stay on topic, 9/11 has nothing to do with this

There is no evidence Umar was working for our govt, yet you believe it... Why? You believe he will not really go to prison? What will you do to prove or dis-prove it? Anything? Will you do anything at all to prove or dis-prove what you believe (and that has no evidence)?

[timtom]

37. Look, cowboy!

This isn't a debate. If it is, then You prove something.

I've got an opinion -- you've got hard evidence. I get it. You're good. Others here and on other sites have questions. You don't. Congrats.

It isn't a debate.

My opinion. Your opinion. You'll have to settle for that for now (unless you DO have hard evidence. At which time, I'll gladly back down and admit I'm hasty in my opinion.)

Get some rest. Have a nice dinner. Don't watch too much TV.

[Ohio Joe]

38. Hard evidence?

Like the witnesses? His admission? His guilty plea? What questions remain?

[vminfla]

27. One more Dangerous Man Off the Streets

Let's see what the sentencing is. I hope to never see him walk the streets again.

[Old Troop]

12. How're his balls doing? Just askin

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

32. Goodness gracious

Great balls of fire!

:hi:

[Honeycombe8]

39. I've wondered that, too. I wonder if his testicles and penis are intact ...

and operable.

AQ must be hard up to have hired this inept bozo. It'd serve him right if he lost the use of his junk. But I think, from the reports, that the groin fire wasn't that bad, so who knows?

[Javaman]

16. Fruit of the Loom was unable to be reached for comment. nt