( CNN ) -- The man accused of trying to blow up a U.S.-bound airliner on Christmas Day attended an Islamic `` Knowledge Fest '' in Houston , Texas , in 2008 , according to one of the organizers of the event . Yasir Qadhi , who was an instructor at `` Ilm Fest , '' said the 16-day conference organized by the Al Maghrib Institute was a series of courses and workshops to teach young Muslims `` the nuts and bolts of Islam . '' Suspect Umar Farouk AbdulMutallab attended some of the classes that Qadhi taught during the event , which ran from August 1 to 17 , 2008 . `` He was a very quiet individual , tight-lipped and shy , and he did not ask a single question during the discussions , '' Qadhi said in an exclusive interview with CNN . `` He barely interacted with the other students at the conference . '' AbdulMutallab was not a visible presence during the conference and did not attend all the sessions , recalled Qadhi . Qadhi recalls speaking to AbdulMutallab and remembers that he was `` very reserved in his responses . '' AbdulMutallab also attended two seminars organized by the Al Maghrib Institute in London in the months before the event in Houston , Qadhi said . One of the events was on the life of the Prophet Mohammed , and the other course was on the first chapter of the Koran . `` This was mainstream Islamic stuff , '' said Qadhi . Qadhi said the institute taught young Muslims a `` orthodox Islam for the 21st Century , '' stressing the importance of the literal text of the Quran but imbuing those words with a modern meaning . `` We are trying to carve out a Western Muslim identity among conservative Muslims -- for Muslims to integrate into Western society but maintain their Islamic identity . '' Qadhi , of New Haven , Connecticut , has been involved in de-radicalization efforts in the United States and was a leading participant in the U.S. Counter-Radicalization Strategy conference organized by the National Counterterrorism Center in the summer of 2008 . `` It 's ironic that he came to us , '' said Qadhi of AbdulMutallab . The Al Maghrib Institute has chapters in the United States , Canada and the United Kingdom , and has taught more than 30,000 young Muslims in its courses . Qadhi says there was no indication AbdulMutallab in 2008 was extreme in his views . After the Houston event , AbdulMutallab did not sign up for any more Al Maghrib events , said Qadhi -- perhaps a sign he was starting to become influenced by extremist ideas , he added . `` At some level , we did not convince him of the validity of our views , '' says Qadhi , `` and that is cause for regret . '' `` What AbdulMutallab probably does n't realize is that by his actions he has hurt the very same people -- Muslims -- who he was purportedly trying to defend . '' CNN 's Paul Cruickshank and David Mattingly contributed to this report .
AbdulMutallab spoke to conference for young Muslims on ` ` the nuts and bolts of Islam '' Organizer of ` ` Ilm Conference '' recalls he was ` ` shy '' and ` ` reserved in his responses '' No indication at the time that he was extreme in his views , he says .