Underwear Bomber Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab's Attorney: Sentence 'Gross and Disproportionate'

Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the Nigerian man who confessed to an attempt to blow up a Detroit-bound plane with a bomb hidden in his underwear in 2009, is challenging his mandatory life sentence, reported USA Today.

Given the circumstances and what did NOT occur in the instant matter it is fair to say that the mandatory minimum sentence of life imprisonment is excessive and grossly disproportionate to the conduct, his attorney Anthony Chambers said in a court filing.

U.S. District Judge Nancy Edmunds will decide today whether or not Abdulmutallab will face the life imprisonment penalty, as placed under existing sentence guidelines. In Dec. 2009 the 25-year-old intended to blow up a Delta Airlines airplane carrying 289 passengers. The faulty explosive did not kill anyone, but resulted in a fire on board the plane. The weapon fizzled in the attempted-terrorist's underwear, burning his legs and genitalia according to USA Today.

Abdulmutallab admitted this past Oct. that the act was a suicide mission for al-Qaida, and only five of the 300 passengers are expected to address the court regarding the incident, reported the AP.

I've become bolder. I've become stronger, passenger Shama Chopra of Montreal said to the AP. I don't have to feel weak. I don't have to be scared of anything. God has given me a second chance to live.

On the second day of his Oct. trial, Abdulmutallab referred to the bomb as a blessed weapon to avenge Muslims who have suffered around the world. He also admitted that he drew inspiration from Anwar al-Awlaki, a leading al-Qaida figure in Yemen who was killed last fall by a U.S. drone strike.

According to the Detroit News, prison and legal officials expect Abdulmutallab to be sent to the Supermax federal prison in Florence, Colo., where he may be restricted from visitors, phone calls, outgoing mail, and interaction with other inmates.

The isolation: That'll probably be his biggest problem, a former Warden at the prison Joe Gunja said to the Detroit News. He won't get mistreated but it's very, let me say, isolated-- for good reason.

Chambers defended him by arguing that no passengers were killed or have suffered life-threatening injuries.

However, prosecutors said that Abdulmutallab's actions still yield greater consequences.

Unsuccessful terrorist attacks still engender fear in the broader public, which, after all, is one of their main objectives, said prosecutors in a Wednesday court filing according to the AP. In addition, the enormous cost of the augmented security measures adopted as a direct result of defendant's unsuccessful terrorist attack are borne by the American public at large in both increased cost, inconvenience and wasted time at airports.