Detroit, UNITED STATES : In this artist’s sketch, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab (right) appears before Judge Bernard Friedman (left) in Federal Courthouse January 8, 2010 in Detroit, Michigan.

*Says training on in Yemen

UMAR Farouk Abdulmutallab, who was docked in Detroit, USA, on Friday, for trying to blow up an airplane on Christmas Day, has warned that about 20 other young men are being trained in Yemen to carry out similar attacks.
British intelligence officials said  Farouk,  23, had boasted during interrogation that “close to 20 other young Muslim men were being prepared in Yemen to use the same technique to blow up airliners,” CBS reported. Abdulmutallab pleaded not guilty to six charges arising out of the botched Christmas Day bombing of Northwest Flight 253 from Amsterdam to Detroit.

He allegedly stitched two highly explosive substances into his clothes, and tried to detonate them as the plane carrying 290 people approached Detroit. But the device failed, and instead Abdulmutallab was arrested after being overpowered by passengers and crew. He has since been interrogated by FBI and US agents who are leading the investigation. US officials have said he is providing useful leads.

A man who said he represented the Nigerian embassy, but would not give his name, told reporters at Friday’s court sitting that Abdulmutallab’s family had not attended the hearing. A small group of demonstrators waved bright American flags and signs declaring “Not in the name of Islam” and “Islam is against terrorism.”

Moad Taleb, a marketing representative who moved to the Detroit area in 1990 from Yemen, shivered as he spoke of how he was frightened by talk of potential US military strikes against his homeland. “If there are terrorists we need to get rid of them, but I have family back home… civilians just trying to live their lives,” said Taleb, 28.

Majed Moughni, who moved to the Detroit area from Lebanon said he was worried there would be a backlash against Muslims. “We are here to let the world know we’re going to stand in the cold against terrorism and we hope Americans don’t leave us out in the cold,” Moughni said. “We’re trying to unite as Muslims and we’re going to eradicate all terrorism from our homes and our mosques and we’re going to send terrorists back to the caves of Afghanistan.”
A pair of men waved a poster proclaiming: “Nigerians support Obama’s war on terror” for the cameras.