Pi Newspaper | March 2012 news@pimedia.org.uk


UCL’s ‘underwear bomber’ sentenced to life imprisonment


Catherine D’Souza News Editor


UMAR Farouk Abdulmutallab,


the former UCL student accused of trying to detonate a bomb on board a flight on 25 Dec 2009, has been sentenced to life imprisonment without parole. Abdulmutallab,


originally


from Nigeria, studied mechanical engineering at UCL between 2005 and 2008, and was president of the UCLU Islamic Society from 2006- 7. He is a self-professed member of Al-Qaeda, who also claimed responsibility for the incident. On Christmas Day 2009, he


attempted to detonate a bomb that was concealed in his underwear on a Northwest Airlines flight from Amsterdam to Detroit, Michigan. The device failed to explode, but Abdulmutallab sustained burns from the fire caused and earned the title the ‘underwear bomber’. Abdulmutallab waited over a


year to come to trial after his arrest in 2009, and unexpectedly pleaded guilty to all counts in October. The trial has since received national and high-profile coverage. Federal Judge Nancy Edmunds,


who presided over the trial, commented on the suitability of the sentence. She asserted that


Abdulmutallab “has never expressed doubt or regret or remorse about his mission … In contrast, he sees that mission as divinely inspired and a continuing mission.” She added, “The defendant poses a significant ongoing threat to the safety of American citizens everywhere.” Abdulmutallab’s father, an


influential banker, had already approached US embassy officials and Nigerian authorities in 2009 to warn them about his son. The family of Abdulmutallab offered a statement to BBC News upon hearing the sentence, saying they were “grateful to God that the unfortunate incident of that date did not result in any injury or death. “We strongly appeal to the


American justice department to review the life sentence. We also appeal to the Federal Republic of Nigeria to continue with their support and engage with the American government to ensure that a review is made.” Assistant defence lawyer


Anthony Chambers had also called for a lighter sentence than life imprisonment before the sentencing, on the grounds that it would be unconstitutional since “not one passenger suffered life-threatening injuries.” During the trial, however, passengers and crew members from the flight testified that the event had been life-changing. Abdulmutallab


is described in news reports as appearing “disinterested” in their comments. The Abdulmutallab case has


often been cited by minsters as evidence of extremism on university campuses becoming a serious problem. UCL is often in the spotlight during discussions about counter- terrorism measures amongst young people, given the high-profile nature of the ‘Underwear bomber’ case. However, UCL Provost Malcolm


Grant caused controversy last year by labelling extremism in universities a “non-issue” and asserting that academics are not a “substitute for the intelligence services”, and therefore have no obligation to detect or monitor the potential development of extremism. In an interview with the Evening


Standard, Grant responded to a government assertion that universities should play a greater role in counter- terrorism, and argued: “It was stupid to say that of those convicted of terrorism offences, more than 30 per cent had been to university, and to suggest that there was a link. “It is simply a reflection of the


fact that a large proportion of the population have been to university. There seems to be no evidence of a causal connection between attendance at university and engagement in religiously inspired violence.”


Helen Swire LONDON has been voted the


second best student city in the world. The city has come second to Paris, and is the only UK city to make the top 25 in the recent poll. Australia and the US both have four cities each in the top 25.


The poll, which was dominated


by European cities (20 of the top 50 places), analysed cities with populations of more than 250,000, which home two or more ranked universities, with researchers studying various factors including quality of living, affordability and reputation of the university. London scored well in the student


mix and employer activity rankings, coming eighth and fifth out of 25 respectively, but fared less well in other categories, coming 15th for quality of living and 19th for affordability. As one of the more expensive


cities in the world to live, questions have been raised as to how the raise in tuition fees will affect applications to London universities. Tuition fees of £9,000 a year – and up to £20,000 for international students – caused London to lose out to Paris, whose fees for international students are just £1,000 a year.


Liam Burns, president of the


National Union of Students, said, “If London is to continue to be such an attractive place to study we need to see urgent action to address the spiralling cost of student living. It poses a real threat to the affordability of studying in the capital and therefore to the future sustainability of this world renowned status.” Positively, however, London


claims the top score for the quality of its leading universities, and was also described as “one of the world’s most important financial centres”. UCL students have reacted


positively to the outcome of the vote. Many have pointed out the diversity and cultural attractions of the city, with one languages student saying, “It’s not just a university town. I would never


have chosen differently – anyone with the opportunity to study in London would take it.” A medical student commented,


“Student life in London has more than exceeded my high expectations. There is always so much going on, and so much of it is free. I love the diversity and the fact that different areas have such different character and I love the drive and ambition of so many people here.” However, not every student finds


it so easy to settle in such a huge city, especially people coming from smaller towns across the country. One student said, “There is no time to settle into a change in pace of lifestyle, or to figure out how to manage a city on top of meeting new people and negotiating your new course.” However, she went on to comment, “London has changed my views on life slowly, but now I’m truly happy to be here and feel ready to start taking advantage of the opportunities.” A comparison of the top two


cities in the poll has come from a UCL languages student currently studying in Paris on her year abroad. While living expenses in Paris are high, overall the city is cheaper to live in than London, especially as the tuition fees are so much lower. London, on the other hand, has more to visit and a better nightlife for students being a larger city, while in terms of university life, London has a more diverse selection of societies. Meanwhile, London universities prepare arts students for a more varied selection of future careers, whereas in Paris, her course “seems strongly geared towards preparing the students for a job in academia, teaching or journalism.” Boris Johnson said of the poll


results, “I’m delighted to learn that London has once again been confirmed as one of the best places on earth to be a student. With the Olympic Games just around the corner, London is undergoing an enormous transformation. We’ve got twice as many bookshops as New York, and more museums than Paris. And by the way, our museums are free.”


pimedia.org.uk | 3 news


London voted second best student city in the world


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