Ahead of the sentencing, assistant defence lawyer Anthony Chambers argued that a life sentence for Abdulmutallab would be unconstitutional, since no other passengers were hurt.

BBC: Underwear bomber Abdulmutallab sentenced to life

According to sources, Deputy Assistant Attorney Scott Hammond, the senior staff lawyer who has run the criminal enforcement team for a more than a decade, vehemently protested the move which is now being finalized.

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"We all have to be vigilant, more now than ever before, in detecting theft and potential theft and recognizing documents that have been stolen, " Ferriero said in opening remarks in which he introduced an investigator in the Landau case and a lawyer who put Landau and his assistant behind bars.

WSJ: National Archives discusses stolen documents case

Zenit's most high-profile supporter is new Russian president Dmitry Medvedev, who trained as a lawyer in the city and was once an assistant professor at St Petersburg State University.

BBC: Who are Zenit?

"Hire a good lawyer and make sure these people sign agreements about intellectual properties, " advises Olivier Toubia, assistant professor at Columbia University's business school.

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