Passenger wants no plea in terror case

A Canadian passenger from the Detroit-bound flight, who escaped tragedy with others, said today that she wants a trial for the Nigerian man accused to trying to blow up the plane.
Shama Chopra, 54, of Montreal, said only a trial, and not a plea deal, will uncover all of the facts behind Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab and allegations that he hid a makeshift bomb in his underwear to kill everyone on Flight 253.
"They are trying to cover up lots of things," Chopra said, declining to identify who she meant. "I'm fighting for the rights of other possible victims in the future."
Abdulmutallab was not present for a 5-minute pretrial hearing today in front of U.S. District Judge Nancy Edmunds. Nonetheless, Chopra said the trip to Detroit was worth it because she wants to spread her message of the necessity for a trial.
"No plea deal," she said after the hearing, while standing next to her husband Raman Chopra. "We want to have a voice."
Raman Chopra said he wants to learn who Abdulmutallab answered to and how he was able to board the flight even though he was on a watch list.
Abdulmutallab is accused of attempting to detonate a bomb hidden in his underwear on a Dec. 25 flight to Detroit from Amsterdam. He faces of charges of attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction and attempted murder.
Shama Chopra said she was seated in first class seat 4-A, about 15 rows from Abdulmutallab when a frenzy ensued.
Chopra was originally traveling from India, when she boarded the Detroit-bound plane from Amsterdam.
13/04/10 Ben Schmitt/Freep.com

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Categories: Foreign Apr 2010, Safety Apr 2010