'Underwear bomber' court request denied

DETROIT – Less than two weeks before his sentence, a Nigerian man who tried to blow up a Detroit-bound plane with 290 people aboard has been denied a request for a new attorney to assist him.

Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab returned to Detroit federal court Friday for the first time since pleading guilty to terrorism in October. He is representing himself and says he no longer gets along with Anthony Chambers, an attorney appointed to help him.

His sentencing date was originally scheduled for Jan. 19 but has been postponed until Feb. 19. Passengers who were onboard the Northwest Airlines Flight 253 who had made plans to speak at the sentencing will still be able to do so on Jan 19. The judge has ordered Abdulmutallab to return to court on that day.