The Charges

Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the Al Qaeda-linked man who attempted to detonate an explosive aboard Northwest Airlines flight 253 on Christmas Day, has been charged by the Justice Department with two counts of terror-related activity:

Willful attempt to destroy an aircraft within the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States;

and

Willfully placing and causing to be placed a destructive device upon or in proximity to such aircraft.

The charges were filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan today, December 26th.

Complainant and Judge

The complainant is FBI Special Agent Theodore James Peiseg, as 12-year veteran of the bureau and member of the Counter-Terrorism Squad in Detroit.

The judge is the Honorable Paul D. Borman, appointed by President Bill Clinton in 1994.

More information from the criminal complaint:

Abdulmutallab was born on December 22, 1986, making him 23-years-old. As previously reported, he is a Nigerian national.

Abdulmutallab boarded flight 253 in Amsterdam on December 24, with the flight scheduled to arrive in Detroit on Decemeber 25th. The flight was carrying 279 passengers and 11 crew members.

Just before landing, the suspect — who had a device attached to his body — attempted to detonate said device. This resulted in a fire and apparent explosion. He is now being treated, reportedly, for burns.

According to passengers interviewed by the FBI, the suspect went to the aircraft’s bathroom shortly before landing. He stayed in the lavatory for approximately 20 minutes.

Upon returning to his seat, the suspect reported that his stomach was upset. He pulled a blanket over himself. At that point, passengers heard sounds similar to a firecracker and noticed Abdulmutallab’s leg and part of the aircraft’s wall on fire.

Several passengers and crew members subdued and restrained the suspect upon noticing his failed attempt to detonate the device. Blankets and fire extinguishers were used to extinguish the blaze. The plane quickly landed at Detroit Metropolitan Airport.

Abdulmutallab reportedly told a stewardess that he had an “explosive device” in his pocket. One passenger noticed he had a syringe which was smoking. The passenger took the item, shook it to stop it from smoking, and threw it to the floor of the aircraft.

The device has been identified by the FBI as containing PETN, or pentaerythritol tetranitrate, a high explosive. The bureau is still conducting laboratory tests.

Upon landing, Abdulmutallab was taken into custody by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers. Requiring medical attention, the suspect was transported to the University of Michigan Medical Center.

All of the above information is taken from the criminal complaint.