The pleading explains how Abdulmutallab got involved in the failed bomb attempt. He went to Yemen in hopes of meeting Anwar al-Awlaki. It took a while, but according to what he told agents during a debriefing, ultimately he was successful. He spent a few days with al-Awlaki and was then sent to a training camp and then hooked up with bomb maker Ibrahim Hassan al-Asiri.UFA told them al-Awlaki told him the attack had to be on an airplane once it reached the U.S., but did not tell him which flight or when to do it.

Contrary to this AP report, Ibrahim Hassan al-Asiri was not killed with al-Awlaki in the drone attack in September, 2011. American-born Samir Kahn, who was the editor of Inspire, al-Qaida's English magazine, was killed with him. Early reports that al-Asiri was killed were later disputed. Al-Asiri is believed to be very much alive in Yemen, with AQAP. Hopefully, the AP will fix that soon. [More...]

From the Government's pleading, available on PACER:

Defendant and Al Asiri discussed defendant’s desire to commit an act of jihad. Thereafter, Al Asiri discussed a plan for a martyrdom mission with Awlaki, who gave it final approval, and instructed Defendant Abdulmutallab on it. For the following two weeks, defendant trained in an AQAP camp, and received instruction in weapons and indoctrination in jihad. During his time in the training camp, defendant met many individuals, including Samir Khan.

...Awlaki told defendant that he would create a martyrdom video that would be used after