New York:
The Nigerian man, charged with trying to blow up a Detroit-bound flight on Christmas Day, has fired his lawyers saying they would be biased and opted to
represent himself.
Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, who is arraigned on six charges including attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction, indicated that he may plead guilty to some of the charges against him.
"But unexpectedly, the defendant Abdulmutallab, instead told the judge that he wished to represent himself," Rod Hansen, spokesman for the US District Court in Detroit, said.
"At that point, the judge questioned him extensively about that decision, asking if he knew the consequences, if he was familiar with federal law and at the end of it, and cautioned him against representing himself," he added.
District Judge Nancy Edmunds granted his request, but she said she would appoint a stand-by counsel to advise Abdulmutallab on legal maters, US media reported.
The Nigerian terror suspect asked the judge what would happen if he pleaded guilty to some counts?
"The judge, at that point, said, 'I can't answer that kind of question,' and indicated that this is the very reason she wanted stand-by counsel appointed, because those are the kinds of questions that obviously he needs to know the answers to," said Rod Hansen.
Abdulmutallab's former lawyers previously disclosed that they were discussing a possible plea bargain with prosecutors.
The 23-year-old engineering student from University College, London, suffered three degree burns while trying to ignite the incendiary device.
His failed attempt, however, shifted the US focus to Yemen as a new front to battle Al-Qaeda after the group claimed responsibility for the attempted terrorist attack.
Following Abdulmutallab's alleged attempt to blow up Northwest Airlines Flight 253, the US tightened security in all its airports, which eventually led to the use of body image scanners.