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Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab
Abdulmutallab, the 23-year-old son of a wealthy Nigerian banker, was also president of the university's Islamic Society between 2006 and 2007, a university spokesman said.
"During his time on the course, Mr Abdulmutallab never gave his tutors any cause for concern and was a well mannered, quietly spoken, polite and able young man," said UCL president and provost Malcolm Grant.
"We are deeply shocked by the recent news concerning Mr Abdulmutallab."
UCL had previously said that a student with a name similar to the Nigerian arrested and charged in the United States had studied there, amid widespread reports of his attendance.
"The department's association with him ended in June 2008 after he successfully graduated," Grant said in a statement.
"The department in common with UCL admits students solely on the basis of their academic abilities without regard to a person's political, racial or religious background."
The university said it was "cooperating fully" with British authorities, who are investigating Abdulmutallab's London connections.
British Home Secretary Alan Johnson said earlier Monday the Nigerian had been placed on a watchlist and barred from entering Britain this year.
"He was a legitimate UK student on a legitimate student visa -- he hasn't been in this country for 14 months," Johnson, the interior minister, said.
"In May, he made an application for a fresh student visa which was refused.
"As soon as that happened, he was on our watchlist. If someone's refused a visa, they automatically go on our UK watchlist," Johnson told BBC radio.
Police have searched properties including an upmarket London flat where Abdulmutallab is thought to have lived when he studied at UCL.
Abdulmutallab was overpowered by passengers and crew as he allegedly tried to detonate explosives on Northwest Airlines Flight 253 as it approached Detroit carrying 290 people on Christmas Day.
US President Barack Obama vowed Monday to hunt down extremists wherever they plot attacks against the United States as Al-Qaeda claimed it hatched the attempt to blow up the airliner.
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"During his time on the course, Mr Abdulmutallab never gave his tutors any cause for concern and was a well mannered, quietly spoken, polite and able young man," said UCL president and provost Malcolm Grant.
"We are deeply shocked by the recent news concerning Mr Abdulmutallab."
UCL had previously said that a student with a name similar to the Nigerian arrested and charged in the United States had studied there, amid widespread reports of his attendance.
"The department's association with him ended in June 2008 after he successfully graduated," Grant said in a statement.
"The department in common with UCL admits students solely on the basis of their academic abilities without regard to a person's political, racial or religious background."
The university said it was "cooperating fully" with British authorities, who are investigating Abdulmutallab's London connections.
British Home Secretary Alan Johnson said earlier Monday the Nigerian had been placed on a watchlist and barred from entering Britain this year.
"He was a legitimate UK student on a legitimate student visa -- he hasn't been in this country for 14 months," Johnson, the interior minister, said.
"In May, he made an application for a fresh student visa which was refused.
"As soon as that happened, he was on our watchlist. If someone's refused a visa, they automatically go on our UK watchlist," Johnson told BBC radio.
Police have searched properties including an upmarket London flat where Abdulmutallab is thought to have lived when he studied at UCL.
Abdulmutallab was overpowered by passengers and crew as he allegedly tried to detonate explosives on Northwest Airlines Flight 253 as it approached Detroit carrying 290 people on Christmas Day.
US President Barack Obama vowed Monday to hunt down extremists wherever they plot attacks against the United States as Al-Qaeda claimed it hatched the attempt to blow up the airliner.
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