Crime

Christmas-Day Underwear Bomber Gets Life in Prison

Underwear Bomber Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab Sentenced to Life in Prison

FILE - This December 2009 file photo released by the U.S. Marshal's Service shows Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab in Milan, Mich. Abdulmutallab is scheduled to be sentenced Thursday, Feb. 16, 2012, for trying to blow up a Detroit-bound airliner with a bomb in his underwear on Christmas 2009. (AP Photo/U.S. Marshals Service, File)

DETROIT (AP) — A Nigerian man on a suicide mission for al-Qaida was sentenced Thursday to life in prison for attempting to blow up an international flight with a bomb in his underwear as the plane approached Detroit on Christmas 2009.

The mandatory punishment for Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the well-educated son of a wealthy banker, was never in doubt after he surprised the courtroom and pleaded guilty to all charges on the second day of trial last fall.

Abdulmutallab sat with his hands folded under his chin, leaning back in his chair as the sentence was announced.

In October, Abdulmutallab said the bomb in his underwear was a “blessed weapon” to avenge poorly treated Muslims around the world. It failed to fully detonate aboard an Amsterdam-to-Detroit flight but caused a brief fire that badly burned his groin. Passengers pounced on Abdulmutallab and forced him to the front of Northwest Airlines Flight 253 where he was held until the plane landed minutes later.

Abdulmutallab, 25, talked freely to the FBI about his desire to commit martyrdom for his Islamic faith. In 2009, months before the attack, he traveled to Yemen in a desperate bid to see Anwar al-Awlaki, an American-born cleric and one of the best-known al-Qaida figures, according to the government. He told investigators that his mission was approved after a three-day visit with his mentor.

Al-Awlaki and the bomb maker were killed in a U.S. drone strike in Yemen last year, just days before Abdulmutallab’s trial. At the time, President Barack Obama publicly blamed al-Awlaki for the terrorism plot.

Abdulmutallab is an “unrepentant would-be mass murderer who views his crimes as divinely inspired and blessed, and who views himself as under a continuing obligation to carry out such crimes,” prosecutors said in a court filing last week.

Anthony Chambers, an attorney assigned to help Abdulmutallab, said a mandatory life sentence was cruel and unconstitutional punishment for a crime that didn’t physically hurt anyone except Abdulmutallab. In reply, the government said there was plenty of hurt.

“Unsuccessful terrorist attacks still engender fear in the broader public, which, after all, is one of their main objectives,” prosecutors said in a court filing before sentencing.

Indeed, Alain Ghonda, a consultant from Silver Spring, Md., who was a passenger on Flight 253, said he travels the globe with heightened awareness since the failed attack.

“After having that experience, you do not know who’s sitting next to you,” Ghonda, 40, said before Thursday’s hearing. “They may look like passengers, but they might want to harm you.”

The case also had lasting implications for security screening at American airports. Abdulmutallab’s ability to defeat security in Amsterdam contributed to the deployment of full-body scanners at U.S. airports.

The Transportation Security Administration was using the scanners in some American cities at the time, but the attack accelerated their placement. There are now hundreds of the devices nationwide.

Comments (57)

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  • ddg7
    Posted on February 16, 2012 at 6:57pm

    Take this SOB out into a field somewhere and tie some dynamite with a 10 minute fuse to his ****** and let him complete his martyr dream. We get him out of the prison system and he gets his 72 virgins. It’s a win/win!

    Report Post »  
    • SkySoldier
      Posted on February 16, 2012 at 8:33pm

      The Blaze is missing the MOST IMPORTANT part of this story. Kurt Haskell (Michigan Attorney and eye witness and fellow passenger to the ‘Underwear Bomber’) made a statement today the clearly refutes the government claim that Umar acted alone. In his statement Mr. Haskell recounts how,
      “I witnessed Umar dressed in jeans and a white t-shirt, being escorted around security by a man in a tan suit who spoke perfect American English and who aided Umar in boarding without a passport. The airline gate worker initially refused Umar boarding until the man in the tan suit intervened. The event meant nothing to me at the time. Little did I know that Umar would try to kill me a few hours later as our flight approached Detroit.”
      Later Mr. Haskell then recounts multiple inconsistencies of the governments official claims to the events leading up and following the bombing attempt. Remember folks it was this incident that solidified the “justification” for the PORNO scanners at airports and the TSA to molest old ladies and little kids. Mr. Haskill finishes by saying,
      “In closing I will just say that regardless of how the media and government try to shape the public perception of this case, I am convinced that Umar was given an intentionally defective bomb by a U.S. Government agent and placed on our flight without showing a passport or going through security, to stage a false terrorist attack to be used to implement various government policies.” find out more at http://WWW.INFO

      Report Post » SkySoldier  
    • keaton
      Posted on February 17, 2012 at 6:47am

      He gets life in prison ,without a penniss!

      Report Post »  
    • broken1
      Posted on February 17, 2012 at 7:18am

      Hey DDG7 is that 72 virgins or is it one 72 year old virgin for this terrorist dirtbag.

      Report Post »  
    • jzs
      Posted on February 17, 2012 at 9:39am

      Imagine that, convicted in a civilian court.

      Report Post » jzs  
    • readytostand
      Posted on February 17, 2012 at 11:28am

      Oh you people are so negative on this young man ! I am sure he had a troubled childhood, or perhaps, his doggy died , or ,etc -etc. I was trying to sound like a liberal ! I failed liberalism 101 ! Why life in prison for this poor young man -? Let him Put those explosive little undies back on, and let him detonate his CROTCH ! You shouldn’t hold the boy back from finishing his job ! Just hope he doesn’t have a ( PREMATURE – DETONATION ) !!!

      Report Post »  
  • Sheepdog911
    Posted on February 16, 2012 at 6:27pm

    This guy is completely nuts, er, a, nutless? This article skipped his statement about what an honor it is to kill people in allah’s name. Um, does that mean that he dis-honored his pig moon god?

    Report Post » Sheepdog911  
  • RayOne
    Posted on February 16, 2012 at 6:06pm

    How much would it cost to house him in a Nigerian Prison ??

    Report Post » RayOne  
  • TH30PH1LUS
    Posted on February 16, 2012 at 5:59pm

    Fun “underwear bomber” songs begin around 2:42 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ec7NrZm1ZDE

    Report Post » TH30PH1LUS  
  • Watchyer6
    Posted on February 16, 2012 at 5:57pm

    Wow, talk about some nasty skid marks.

    Report Post » Watchyer6  
  • Trevtastick
    Posted on February 16, 2012 at 5:56pm

    Wow… Just wow… I can‘t even believe I’m reading this stuff.

    We have someone who literally attempted to kill American citizens in a TERRORIST ACT, but we have an American DEFENDING him? “…a mandatory life sentence was cruel and unconstitutional punishment for a crime that didn’t physically hurt anyone except Abdulmutallab.”

    The ONLY reason he didn’t succeed is because his device failed to detonate properly… just WOW.

    Maybe this kid will find Jesus in jail, but his LAWYER SHOULD BE IN THERE WITH HIM!!!

    Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for Innocent until proven guilty, but there is no innocence here. It was openly admitted by the accused what was intended.

    Our whole system is completely and utterly corrupted. Someday there will be a REVOLUTION… someday soon.

    Report Post » Trevtastick  
    • Marine25
      Posted on February 16, 2012 at 9:58pm

      @Trevtasick
      Why do you have so much disdain for the Constitution? Can’t believe an American is defending him? Read the Sixth Amendment. He was convicted in spite of a vigorous defense provided to him as required by the Bill of Rights. Any lawyer worth his salt would have attempted an Eighth Amendment defense after the sentencing, to do otherwise would have been to subvert due process. Sounds to me like you prefer taliban justice, or the sort practiced in Saudi Arabia or Syria. We are better than that, and this trial proved just that once again. By the way, where are all the tea-partiers that insisted our Constitution and Judiciary could not handle this case? They demanded a tribunal and called those standing for Constitutional due process bleeding-hearts, sympathizers, and traitors. They seem to have grown silent. True Constitutionalists were right again, and those with only selective and casual understanding of Constitutional law were shown to be bigots and fools…again.

      Report Post »  
  • Kaoscontrol
    Posted on February 16, 2012 at 5:10pm

    “Fired up and ready to go! wait a second….Dang! I hate it when my suicide missions end this way! It makes me chafe and itch so dog-gone much!”

    Report Post » Kaoscontrol  
  • vtmawhinney
    Posted on February 16, 2012 at 5:10pm

    He’s a young man. I will bet that my son and my grandchildren will be working thier butts off for life to help pay for his maintainence in prison.

    I will not appologize for telling you that he should be executed forth-with.

    I will suggest a 45cal to the forehead.

    VTM, Joine me at http://www.culturalsurvivalskills.com

    Report Post »  
    • MYHEROISRON
      Posted on February 16, 2012 at 6:51pm

      @VTA

      Naw, forget the .45 cal. All you need is a carton of Camels! 10 times more powerful … in prison!

      Report Post » MYHEROISRON  
    • Marine25
      Posted on February 16, 2012 at 10:01pm

      I see your defense of the Second Amendment does not extend to the Eighth.

      Report Post »  
  • gpk
    Posted on February 16, 2012 at 4:57pm

    Wonder if Barney Frank bought his underwear???

    Report Post »  
  • u_mad
    Posted on February 16, 2012 at 4:49pm

    This is why civilian trials are insane! He’s actually being tried and convicted in an orderly, sane, and legal manner. Outrageous.

    Report Post »  
    • josh345
      Posted on February 16, 2012 at 5:10pm

      Why? He’s getting the punishment that he deserves anyway….

      Report Post »  
  • AB5r
    Posted on February 16, 2012 at 4:49pm

    wonder if he still has that stupid look on his face

    Report Post » AB5r  
  • Grandma T
    Posted on February 16, 2012 at 4:44pm

    I sure hope there is no possibility of parole in 20 years.

    Report Post »  
  • countryfirst
    Posted on February 16, 2012 at 4:43pm

    Place explosives in his shorts, Strap him in one of the retired planes at the Davis-Mothan AFB and detonate. He wanted to blow up in a plane lets help him complete his goal.

    Report Post » countryfirst  
  • One of the Quiet Ones
    Posted on February 16, 2012 at 4:40pm

    I think life imprisonment is the minimal justified sentence for someone who was willing to give himself a death sentence in order to kill scores of people. Unless he becomes an atheist or renounces Islam, I don’t think he could be reformed because he is committed and acting out of faith.

    Report Post »  
  • ICANHANDLETHETRUTH
    Posted on February 16, 2012 at 4:34pm

    I wonder if this clown volunteered for this………… I am picturing him and his buddies sitting around talking about it and all of a sudden he says ” Guys I have an idea….. I am going to go ahead and put an explosive device in my underwear and blow myself up when we reach 10 thousand feet ” and his buddies think it is a great idea ……………..WTF !!!!!!!!!! How wacked out does one have to be to even think about this act ????? Waite a minute……. was this guy muslim ?????? Hmmm no way, because I was told that it is the relegion of peace . When he goes to prison….. I wonder if he will be the man or the woman ? I would guess he will be wearing a dress soon LOL

    Report Post »  
  • CMDR6
    Posted on February 16, 2012 at 4:27pm

    And why do we have to pay for this POS to live out his life in our prisons? He admitted to trying to kill a couple hundred people…..and no death penalty? If anything, this has the muslim world laughing their butts off at just how weak we can be at times, and it shows them that the penalty for failure in their mission is cable TV, 3 meals a day and air conditioning and a prayer rug that never wears out…..are we screwed up or what. Convicted terrorists should face the same penalty as a spy would during wartime, firing squad or public hanging.
    Where did the intestinal fortitude of this great country go?

    Report Post » CMDR6  
  • bitter clinger
    Posted on February 16, 2012 at 4:26pm

    I hope they feed him pork three times a day and I hope bubba makes him squeel like a pig!

    Report Post » bitter clinger  
  • capitalismrocks
    Posted on February 16, 2012 at 4:13pm

    Hope they put him in super max, 23 hr a day lock-down, no outside contact and make him wear tidy-whitey’s for the rest of his life….

    Report Post » capitalismrocks  
  • Drum Man
    Posted on February 16, 2012 at 4:10pm

    He can stay at my house. Just one. Then we won’t have to pay for his a$$ the rest of his miserable life.

    Report Post » Drum Man  
  • SoCalSE
    Posted on February 16, 2012 at 3:56pm

    How are other passengers on an airplane responsible for ‘poorly treated muslims around the world’? Even if he means our government, how is our government responsible? There I go again, trying to use logic concerning a terrorist who is only capable of speaking lies!

    Report Post »  
  • TIME_2_END_THE_PAUL_CAMPAIGN_IN_12
    Posted on February 16, 2012 at 3:47pm

    This is how a Ron Paul supporter interprets Islamic terrorism, the arrest/conviction (or even our killing of those involved like Bin Laden), how Ron Paul feels about events like these and how they will spin it.

    Underwear Bomber Pleads Guilty, Mentions Blowback: (Posted on Ron Paul Forums Oct/11)

    A Paul supporter writes… “More reaffirmation about the real causes of terrorism. Here’s what Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab told the court:”

    “I had an agreement with at least one person to attack the United States in retaliation for U.S. support of Israel and in retaliation of the killing of innocent and civilian Muslim populations in Palestine, especially in the blockade of Gaza, and in retaliation for the killing of innocent and civilian Muslim populations in Yemen, Iraq, Somalia, Afghanistan and beyond, most of them women, children, and noncombatants.”

    “[I acted] as an act of jihad against the United States for the U.S. killing of my Muslim brothers and sisters around the world. ”

    Paul supporters respond to thread:

    “More stuff for Ron to use in the next debate.”

    “No!!!! No more quoting of terrorists in the debates. That kind of stuff is what damages the campaign the most.”

    “I’m not implying he SHOULD use it, but it doesn’t hurt his position, and for that I’m thankful. And I agree with you, as long as he stays away from his foreign policy in the debates I think he’ll be good. That seems to always rub people off the way.”

    Can’t make this

    Report Post » TIME_2_END_THE_PAUL_CAMPAIGN_IN_12  
    • OHSundevil
      Posted on February 17, 2012 at 3:11pm

      What the hell does this got to do with Ron Paul, eh troll?

      Report Post » OHSundevil  
  • Mainer forever
    Posted on February 16, 2012 at 3:44pm

    A gulag is Siberia. Making little rocks out of big rocks ALL DAY LONG!!!!

    Report Post » Mainer forever  
  • Polarized America
    Posted on February 16, 2012 at 3:40pm

    I think we should remake his bomb and have him walk out in the desert ( alone ) and show us how his bomb was meant to work …. the buzzards gotta eat ya know

    Report Post »  
    • Anonymous T. Irrelevant
      Posted on February 16, 2012 at 4:01pm

      I was going to say similar, like let him fulfill his mission in a desert or an empty parking lot.
      I hope he has to share a room with Bubba, but knowing our govt., he will be made comfortable.

      Report Post » Anonymous T. Irrelevant  
  • hadenoughinpa
    Posted on February 16, 2012 at 3:26pm

    Shouild have dropped his ass weighted in Lake Michigan

    Report Post » hadenoughinpa  
  • COFemale
    Posted on February 16, 2012 at 3:20pm

    Oh goody, most likely he will be sent here to Florence, Colorado.

    Report Post » COFemale  
    • CatB
      Posted on February 16, 2012 at 3:34pm

      Hopefully it was federal .. and not Michigan “life”.

      Report Post »  
    • booger71
      Posted on February 16, 2012 at 4:08pm

      Yep, he is going to the Super-Max

      Report Post » booger71  
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