Congress members from Mich. raise concern about cost of trial for Detroit plane attack suspect
By David N. Goodman, APThursday, July 29, 2010
Concern raised over cost of plane attack trial
DETROIT — Michigan’s entire congressional delegation has told Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano it wants assurances the federal government will pay for security at the trial of a man accused of trying to blow up a Detroit-bound flight.
The 17 lawmakers wrote to Napolitano on Thursday, saying her earlier responses were “insufficient.”
Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab (OO’-mar fah-ROOK’ ahb-DOOL’-moo-TAH’-lahb) of Nigeria is accused of trying to set off a bomb aboard a plane from Amsterdam on Christmas Day last year. He’s awaiting trial in Detroit.
The letter criticizes Napolitano’s earlier response that money could come from a program that didn’t get congressional funding.
Homeland Security spokeswoman Amy Kudwa said the department would respond directly to the members of Congress.