3 appear in court over U.K. aircraft bomb plot

updated 7:05 a.m. ET Aug. 30, 2006

LONDON - Three men accused of plotting to blow up U.S.-bound airliners made their first court appearance Wednesday and were ordered held until next week.

Mohammed Yasar Gulzar, Mohammed Shamin Uddin and Nabeel Hussain were charged on Tuesday with conspiracy to commit murder and preparing to commit terrorism by plotting to smuggle liquid explosives aboard the planes, Metropolitan Police said.

In the City of Westminster Magistrates’ Court, District Judge Nicholas Evans denied Hussain’s application for bail. The other two suspects did not seek bail.

Eleven people have now been charged on the two counts. Four others are accused of lesser offenses, including withholding from police information about a planned terrorist act.

Of the 25 people originally arrested in raids on Aug. 10, 15 have been charged. Five remain in custody without charge and five have been released.

Detectives must decide by Wednesday whether to charge, release or seek permission from a judge to get more time to question the remaining five suspects. British law allows police to hold suspected terrorists for a maximum of 28 days, subject to court approval.

On Tuesday, Chief Magistrate Timothy Workman ordered Nabeel’s brother, Mehran Hussain, held in custody until Sept. 19 in connection with the alleged plot. Their other brother, Umair Hussain, is also in custody charged with failing to disclose information.

Senior police officers said last week they were analyzing thousands of pieces of evidence seized in searches of around 50 properties and two stretches of woodland. Investigators have found chemicals that can be used to make bombs, including hydrogen peroxide, and electrical components, said Peter Clarke, head of Scotland Yard’s anti-terrorist department.

Months of surveillance had produced “significant video and audio recordings” about the alleged plot, he said, including “martyrdom videos” by some of the suspects.

More than 8,000 items of data storage, such as compact discs, DVDs and memory sticks, were also found, authorities said.

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