Kano: The family of a Nigerian man accused of trying to blow up a US airliner as it approached Detroit on Christmas Day plans to attend his arraignment in court this week, a family source said on Sunday.
Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the son of a wealthy Nigerian banker, who is currently being held in a federal prison in Michigan, is due for arraignment in a federal court in Detroit on Friday.
"The family has finalised all arrangements to fly to Detroit in the US to attend the trial of Umar Farouk which begins on January 8, from information available to us," the family member who requested anonymity said.
Lined up for the trip is the father, Umar Abdulmutallab, the mother Aisha and other family members, the source said by telephone from Abdulmutallab`s home state of Kaduna in northern Nigeria.
"They fly out within the week but I can`t tell you the day because the family would want it to be a secret for now," said the source.
According to the US prosecutors` charges, 23-year-old Abdulmutallab tried to bring down the Northwest Airlines Airbus A330 using a device containing the explosive PETN, also known as pentaerythritol.
PTI
