Statement on Abdulmutallab Trial

New York City – Today, as the federal trial of alleged “underwear bomber” Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab begins in Detroit, Human Rights First’s Daphne Eviatar issued the following statement: “The trial of Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab is already a victory for justice and the rule of law over Al Qaeda’s attempts to create terror and lawlessness. The Justice Department has appropriately charged Abdulmutallab, who was seized on a plane bound for Detroit, with six counts, including attempted murder and use of a weapon of mass destruction. If Abdulmutallab is found guilty of these charges, he could spend life in prison. “U.S. federal courts have a long track record of successfully bringing to justice the most heinous international terrorists who threaten the United States. Prosecuting Abdulmutallab in a federal court on U.S. soil is the best way to protect U.S. citizens from harm, while at the same time defying terrorists by upholding the core values enshrined in the U.S. Constitution.”