Underwear bomber’s trial set to begin

The trial of Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, 24, who is accused of attempting to detonate a bomb on board a flight bound for Detroit on Christmas Day 2009, is set to begin, reports the BBC News.

The trial for the Undwear Bomber, as he has become known, will take place in Detroit beginning Tuesday, according to USA Today. It adds that the U.S. government will make an opening statement that includes incriminating remarks from the defendant about his involvement with al-Qaeda. The prosecution will also call many passengers from the 300-person flight to testify against him. 

While Abdulmutallab is officially representing himself throughout the case, stand-by counsel Anthony Chambers will make the opening remarks to the jury on behalf of the defendant, reports CBS News. 

"He's driving the bus. He's making the ultimate decisions on everything," Chambers reportedly said. "His self-representation certainly makes it more difficult strategically. But we're doing the best we can with what we have to work with."

Abdulmutallab has reportedly made outbursts throughout his trial, claiming Osama bin Laden and Anwar al-Awlaki, an al-Qaeda recruiter who was killed in a drone attack last month, are still alive, according to the BBC.

More from GlobalPost: Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the "underwear bomber," claims Islamic cleric Awlaki is alive

The trial is expected to take four weeks, reports the Detroit Free Press. If convicted, he could face life in prison.

The Detroit Free Press will be live-blogging the trial.

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