9 charged with terror conspiracy in UK

[December 27, 2010]  LONDON (AP) -- 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 are 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.

Police said Monday the other three detainees had been released without charge.

The suspects who have been charged are scheduled to appear in the City of Westminster Magistrates Court Monday morning.

"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.

Police said the conspiracy started on Oct. 1 and continued until Dec. 20, the day of the arrests. The men were taken into custody at a time of heightened concern in Europe over a number of recent terror-related plots.

Security officials said the men were suspected of planning a large-scale terror attack aimed at British landmarks and public spaces.

West Midlands Police Monday identified the suspects who have been charged as Gurukanth Desai, 28, Omar Sharif Latif, 26, and Abdul Malik Miah, 24, from Cardiff; Mohammed Moksudur Rahman Chowdhury, 20, and Shah Mohammed Lutfar Rahman, 28, from London; and Nazam Hussain, 25, Usman Khan, 19, Mohibur Rahman, 26, and Abul Bosher Mohammed Shahjahan, 26, from Stoke-on-Trent.

[Associated Press; By GREGORY KATZ]

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