Alleged underwear bomber's trial set

DETROIT, Jan. 25 (UPI) -- A federal judge in Detroit Tuesday set an Oct. 4 trial date for Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the alleged underwear bomber.

Abdulmutallab, a 24-year-old Nigerian, is accused in a failed attempt to destroy Northwest Airlines Flight 253 from Amsterdam, the Netherlands, as the passenger-filled jetliner soared over Detroit on Christmas Day 2009.

The Detroit News said U.S. District Judge Nancy G. Edmunds rejected Abdulmutallab's request that his trial be pushed back to later in the year or in 2012.

Abdulmutallab, who fired his court-appointed attorneys in September and has limited English-speaking skills, is representing himself with the help of a legal adviser. That adviser, Detroit lawyer Anthony Chambers, said he has had problems meeting with the defendant, who remains in federal custody, and faxing documents to him, the Tribune said.

The suspect was offered the opportunity to retain a court-appointed attorney Tuesday, which he rejected.

"Mr. Abdulmutallab, I'm not sure what reason you have for wanting to represent yourself in this matter," Edmunds said. "I respect that you have that right and have exercised that."