(The Hill) — The Nigerian student who attempted to blow up a plane over Detroit with a bomb sewn into his underwear pleaded guilty at a trial Wednesday. Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, who said after the botched Christmas Day attack that he was affiliated with the al Qaeda terrorist network, faces between 30 years and life in prison.

Abdulmutallab pleaded guilty to eight felony counts surrounding the botched attack. He then read from a statement that said that while he was guilty under American rules, he was not guilty under Islamic law for the attempted crime, according to the Detroit Free Press.

The would-be terrorist then said he attempted the attack in retaliation for the murder of innocent civilians in Middle Eastern war zones by the United States, and said committing jihad was one of “the most virtuous acts” a Muslim can perform. Abdulmutallab had said previously that he was inspired by Anwar al-Awlaki, the American-born al Qaeda leader killed earlier this month in a drone strike.

“If you laugh at us now, we will laugh at you later,” Abdulmutallab said, warning that “a calamity” would befall the United States.