'Terror nine tested bombs for attack' - prosecutors

Nine men have been remanded in custody charged with planning a pre-Christmas terror attack, including carrying out test explosions.

The suspects, aged 19 to 28, and from Cardiff, London and Stoke-on-Trent, were held a week ago during a series of dawn raids by counter-terrorism officers.

They appeared at City of Westminster Magistrates' Court in three separate groups.

Each confirmed his name, date of birth and address, before Senior District Judge Howard Riddle remanded them to appear at the Old Bailey on 14 January.

Twelve men were held during police raids on 20 December in London, Cardiff, Stoke-on-Trent and Birmingham.

Two men from Cardiff and one from London have been released without charge.

The nine suspects are charged with conspiring to cause, by an explosive substance, an explosion or explosions "of a nature likely to endanger life or cause serious injury to property in the UK" between 6 November and 21 December this year.

They are also accused of engaging in conduct in preparation for acts of terrorism between 6 November and 21 December, including by downloading, researching, obtaining and discussing materials and methods; researching, discussing and carrying out reconnaissance on and agreeing potential targets; travelling to and attending meetings; and igniting and testing incendiary material.

The suspects from Cardiff are Gurukanth Desai, 28; Omar Sharif Latif, 26; and Abdul Malik Miah, 24.

The suspects from London are Mohammed Moksudur Rahman Chowdhury, 20, of Tower Hamlets; and Shah Mohammed Lutfar Rahman, 28, of Newham.

The suspects from Stoke-on-Trent are Nazam Hussain, 25; Usman Khan, 19; Mohibur Rahman, 26; and Abul Bosher Mohammed Shahjahan, 26.

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.

Sue Hemming, head of the Crown Prosecution Service Counter Terrorism Division, said yesterday: "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."Lawyers from the CPS Counter Terrorism Division have been working with police on this case and gave advice while the men were interviewed.

"I have reviewed the evidence provided to me by the West Midlands Counter Terrorism Unit and I am satisfied there is sufficient for a realistic prospect of conviction, and it is in the public interest that these men should be charged with these offences."

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-Qaeda bomb plot based in Manchester.