Terror plotters appear before London judge

Suspects accused in the alleged plot to blow up US-bound airliners arrived in court on Tuesday...

Suspects accused in the alleged plot to blow up US-bound airliners arrived in court on Tuesday for their first appearance before a judge on terrorism charges. The11 suspects arrived by police convoy to the City of Westminster Magistrates Court in London8212;the first time they were seen in public since being arrested on August 10.

Eight people were charged with two offences each8212;conspiracy to commit murder and preparing acts of terrorism. One person, a 17-year-old, was charged with possession of articles that could be used for a terrorist act and two people were charged with failing to disclose information that could help prevent a terrorist act.

Another person had been released without charge, while 11 remain in custody but have not yet been charged.

Nine of those charged are from London, according to a Bank of England list of suspects whose assets were frozen following the arrests. Two are from suburban High Wycombe, 30 miles northwest of London. Investigators warned that the case was still being investigated.

8220;Fingerprints, DNA, electronic data, handwriting comparisons, chemical analysis and indeed the full range of forensic disciplines will be used,8221; Peter Clarke, the head of the Metropolitan Police8217;s anti-terrorism unit told reporters after the Crown Prosecution Service announced the charges.

8220;The meticulous investigation of all this material will take many months. All the data will be analysed. There will be thousands of forensic examinations and comparisons,8221; he said. 8220;The scale is immense, inquiries will span the globe.8221;

British officials also confirmed on Monday for the first time that the plot involved the manufacture of explosives, which would then be assembled and detonated on board airliners.

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8220;There are chemicals, including hydrogen peroxide, electrical components, documents and other items,8221; Clarke said. 8220;We have also found a number of video recordings 8212; these are sometimes referred to as martyrdom videos. This has all given us a clearer picture of the alleged plot.8221;

The details of the charges against one man, Mehran Hussain, allege that sometime between September 23, 2005, and August 10 this year8212;the day police announced the plot had been disrupted8212;he had information which could have prevented a terrorist act and didn8217;t disclose it.

For the 11 people still in custody8212;whose names have not been released by police8212;questioning continues. Investigators have until Wednesday to decide if they will be charged, released, or if police will ask a judge to grant them more time to investigate.

8220;Their position is being assessed on a regular basis with a view to considering the need to keep them in detention,8221; said Susan Hemming, who heads the Crown Prosecution Service8217;s Counter-Terrorism Division.