Alleged Xmas Bomber Represents Himself in Court

A Nigerian man accused of trying to blow up a flight from Amsterdam to Detroit on Christmas Day using explosives hidden in his underwear represented himself for the first time at a federal court hearing Thursday.

Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab was accompanied at the 15-minute hearing by standby counsel Anthony Chambers, who can give advice.

U.S. District Judge Nancy Edmunds ordered the government to share evidence with Chambers, even though Abdulmutallab told the judge he didn't think that was necessary. Edmunds said that if Chambers is giving him advice, he needs to have the information.

In September, Abdulmutallab, 24, had suggested he wanted to plead guilty to some charges. There was no such discussion this time.

"We're taking a fresh look at the case," Chambers said after the court hearing.

Abdulmutallab is charged with attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction to blow up Northwest Airlines Flight 253 with nearly 300 passengers and crew aboard. U.S. investigators have said Abdulmutallab told them he received training and instructions from al Qaeda operatives in Yemen.

In September, Abdulmutallab was granted a request to drop his four-lawyer, publicly financed defense team and represent himself. He said relying on others wasn't in his best interest.

His lawyers at the time said they had talked to prosecutors about a possible plea deal. Abdulmutallab had asked the judge what he needed to do to plead guilty to some charges. She referred him to Chambers.

Abdulmutallab is being held at a federal prison in Milan, Mich.

Edmunds set the next hearing for Jan. 12.