Prosecutors urge judge to keep terrorism case lawyer

DETROIT (AP) -- Prosecutors say passengers are expected to speak at the sentencing of a Nigerian man who pleaded guilty to trying to blow up a Detroit-bound airliner with 290 people aboard on Christmas 2009. The government made the disclosure Tuesday as it urged a judge not to dismiss a lawyer who's been assisting Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab. Prosecutors say the appointment of a new standby counsel likely would force a postponement of the Jan. 19 sentence. The government says some passengers who were aboard Northwest Airlines Flight 253 already plan to attend and want "to move on with their lives." Abdulmutallab faces life in prison for trying to blow up a plane by igniting a bomb in his underwear. Published: Thu, Jan 5, 2012