A Nigerian man accused of trying to blow up a Detroit-bound plane on Christmas has represented himself at a quick hearing in Detroit federal court.

Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab (OO'-mahr fah-ROOK' ahb-DOOL'-moo-TAH'-lahb) was accompanied at Thursday's 15-minute hearing by standby counsel Anthony Chambers, who can give advice.

The participants briefly discussed schedules, and U.S. District Judge Nancy Edmunds set the next hearing for Jan. 12.

In September, the 24-year-old suggested he wanted to plead guilty to some charges. There was no talk of that Thursday.

He is charged with attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction to blow up Northwest Airlines Flight 253, an Amsterdam-to-Detroit plane. He's accused of trying to set off explosives hidden in his underwear.