British police early Monday morning charged nine men with conspiring to cause explosions in what they described as an extensive terror plot against UK targets. The men were expected in a London court to answer charges later Monday. The men were among 12 suspects taken into custody one week ago during dawn police raids in London,Cardiff and Stoke-on-Trent in central England. The police said Monday the other three detainees had been released without charge. I have today advised the police that nine men should be charged with conspiracy to cause explosions and with engaging in conduct in preparation for acts of terrorism with the intention of either committing acts of terrorism or assisting another to commit such acts, said Sue Hemming,head of the Crown Prosecution Service Counter Terrorism Division. The police said the conspiracy started on October 1 and continued until December 20,the day of the arrests.
