Detroit (CNN) -- A Nigerian man accused of trying to detonate an explosive device in his underwear aboard a Christmas 2009 flight to Detroit said, "Osama's alive," according to a court official who was in the courtroom.
Umar Farouk AbdulMutallab is representing himself in the trial in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, expected to begin October 11.
Wednesday's appearance was to introduce AbdulMutallab to the 250 prospective jurors, who were in another room.
Judge Nancy Edmunds was with the jurors when AbdulMutallab had his outburst. The jurors did not hear or see it.
After Edmunds gave some instructions to the group, the U.S. attorneys, AbdulMutallab and his standby counsel Anthony Chambers were asked to introduce themselves via closed-circuit television.
When it was time for AbdulMutallab to stand, he leaned back in his chair and put his foot on the table, according to the court official.
"A U.S. marshal who was standing behind him reached over and pushed his foot to the floor," said the same court official.
Edmunds heard testimony related to the defense's motion to suppress AbdulMutallab's statements while he was at the University of Michigan Hospital.
She did not rule on that motion. More evidence will be presented Thursday.
Edmunds ruled against defense motions to remove the trial from Michigan and the United States.
AbdulMutallab has been indicted on charges that include attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction, conspiracy to commit an act of terrorism and possession of a firearm or destructive device in furtherance of an act of violence.
He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
He was a passenger on Northwest Airlines Flight 253 en route from the Netherlands to Detroit on Christmas Day 2009.
According to an indictment, he went to the bathroom shortly before the plane was to land. When he returned to his seat, he said his stomach was upset and pulled a blanket over himself.
Prosecutors allege he then tried to ignite an explosive device that was hidden in his underwear. Passengers and flight crew members subdued him. U.S. officials say the terror group al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula was behind the alleged bombing attempt.
Edmunds wants the two sides to narrow the jury pool to 65 prospective jurors by October 4. That is the set day for official jury selection.
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