Five men were remanded in custody today charged with conspiracy to cause explosions in the UK and other terrorism offences.
Gurukanth Desai (28), Omar Sharif Latif (26) and Abdul Malik Miah (24) from Cardiff, and Mohammed Moksudur Rahman Chowdhury (20) and Shah Mohammed Lutfar Rahman (28) from London, appeared at City of Westminster Magistrates’ Court.
Chief magistrate Howard Riddle remanded them to appear at the Old Bailey on January 14th.
Four other men who were arrested with them were also due to appear in court but the hearing was adjourned until later today for legal submissions.
They were Nazam Hussain (25), Usman Khan (19), Mohibur Rahman (26) and Abul Bosher Mohammed Shahjahan (26) all from Stoke-on-Trent.
The suspects were held a week ago during a series of dawn raids by counter-terrorism officers.
In all 12 men were held during the raids by unarmed police on December 20th in London, Cardiff, Stoke-on-Trent and Birmingham.
Two men from Cardiff and one from London were later released without charge.
The remaining nine suspects were charged last night with conspiring to cause an explosion or explosions in the UK “of a nature likely to endanger life or cause serious injury to property” between October 1st and November 20th this year.
They are also accused of engaging in conduct in preparation for acts of terrorism between October 1st and December 20th, including by downloading and researching materials and methods; carrying out reconnaissance and agreeing potential targets, and igniting and testing incendiary material.
Last week’s raids came after several months of surveillance and monitoring by police and MI5 officers.
At the time, the country’s top counter-terrorism officer, Metropolitan Police assistant commissioner John Yates, said it was “absolutely vital” for the public to remain vigilant.
Lord Carlile, the independent reviewer of counter-terrorism powers, described the alleged plot at “significant”.
The operation was the most high-profile anti-terror raid in Britain since April 2009, when 12 men were detained across northern England.
All were released without charge but authorities still insisted they had thwarted an al Qaida bomb plot based in Manchester.