The US judge overseeing the upcoming trial of a Nigerian man accused of trying to blow up a packed transatlantic airliner laid out strict rules Friday to protect the identities of jurors.
Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, 24, was arrested after the botched Christmas Day 2009 plot attributed to Al-Qaeda, in which explosives allegedly stitched into his underwear failed to detonate aboard a Northwest Airlines flight from Amsterdam as it prepared to land in Detroit.
Passengers and crew were able to restrain Abdulmutallab and put out the small fire aboard the flight, which was carrying 279 passengers and 11 crew.
The foiled bombing triggered global alarm, leading the United States to adopt stringent new screening and security measures at airports worldwide.
Judge Nancy Edmunds cited "intense media and public interest" in laying out rules governing conduct of observers at the trial. Any violations could lead to contempt of court or obstruction of justice charges, she said.
Some 250 prospective jurors are set to fill out questionnaires on Wednesday ahead of jury selection on October 4, with opening statements expected one week later.
Edmunds banned any contact with prospective jurors and the 16 people ultimately chosen to hear the case and laid out safeguards to protect their anonymity...to continue reading go here.