Abdulmutallab faces 20 years in prison, $250,000 fine

Nigerian national Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, charged with trying to blow up a US plane mid air, faces a prison term up to 20 years if convicted and a fine of up to USD 250,000.

The 23-year-old Nigerian national, who was arraigned today, was brought on a wheel chair into a conference room of a Detroit hospital.

Wearing a green gown and blue hospital socks, with one hand cuffed to his chair, he had a bandage on his left thumb and right wrist, and part of the skin on the thumb was burnt off. The judge sat at the far end of a 10-foot table, the suspect at the other end, a media report said.

Abdulmutallab, 23, has been charged with "willfully" attempting to destroy the Amsterdam-Detroit Northwest Flight 253 and with placing a destructive device on the aircraft. The charges were filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan in Detroit.

"Each count carries a prison term of 20 years in federal prison," reported Action News of Detroit ?" whose reporter was among the two journalists allowed inside the make shift court room hearing.

"During the arraignment Adbulmutallab did not say much, however, he did speak very good English. He answered the questions that Judge Paul Borman asked, telling him that he understood the charges he was facing," the paper said.  "He spoke with a pleasant demeanor, and appeared more nervous than scared," the Detroit News report said.

The report said the suspect appeared 16-17 years old, much younger to his age. Asked how he was doing, he replied: "Better than yesterday".

During his arraignment, Adulmutallab told the court he did not have the money to hire an attorney, and would need one appointed by the court. Notably, his father is a wealthy Nigerian banker.

Being treated for burn injuries, which he sustained in his failed bid to ignite the explosive, officials said he will remain at University of Michigan Hospital for next few days. His lawyers told the court that he needs skin grafts to treat his burns.

"An evidentiary hearing has been scheduled for Monday to hear arguments from attorneys. Federal Prosecutor Eric Straus is asking the court for permission to take DNA evidence," Action News Detroit said.

Abdulmutallab's court appointed attorneys, Miriam Seifer and Jill Price, asked the court for permission to search the plane. The court has not yet ruled on their request, the report said.

Prosecutors are asking that he be held because they view him as both a danger to the community and as a flight risk. If he is released, it is also highly likely that he would be immediately deported, the report said. 

Abdulmutallab's court appointed attorneys, Miriam Seifer and Jill Price, also asked the court for permission to search the plane. President Barack Obama, who is keeping a personal tab on the ongoing probe, from his vacation destination Hawaii ordered a full review of the terrorism related databases and procedures.
   
Abdulmutallab was last month listed in American terrorism database -- Terrorist Identities Datamart Environment (TIDE) -- after his banker father informed the US Embassy in Nigeria about the radical views of his son. He was, however, not put on the 'no-fly' list, as information against him was insufficient.

"President Obama ordered a full review of the law enforcement and intelligence databases related to the no-fly list to make sure the procedures and practices still make sense," The Times quoted a senior administration official.

A White House official said Obama has asked people in the intelligence community to continue to take hard looks and challenge the assumptions they make about the information used to generate various terror watch lists, in what could become a formal review of the process.

The official also pointed out that the list the suspect was on had 400,000 people on it, and further downplayed any suggestion of major missed signs, The Politico said.

Obama was also updated on the situation by John Brennan, his Homeland Security and Counter-terrorism Adviser, and Denis McDonough, National Security staff chief of staff today.