London, December 26: A Nigerian man accused of trying to blow up an American transatlantic jet with explosives strapped to his leg was reportedly studying at a British university.
The person caused panic on the plane about to land at Detroit with 278 people aboard when he reportedly tried to detonate some sort of bomb.
He was overpowered by passengers after the device failed to ignite properly.
Reports named him as Abdul Farouk Abdulmutallab, 23, an engineering student at University College London who had applied for a visa to attend a religious seminar.
University College London, where he is reported to be registered as a student, refused immediate comment.
—Agencies