Channel 4 News : Arrests in alleged terror plot

Arrests in alleged terror plot

By Simon Israel | August 21, 2006

Eleven suspects arrested over the alleged airliner bomb plot have been charged.

Police revealed they have found bomb-making equipment and martyrdom videos. Eight of the eleven have been charged with two offences of conspiracy to murder and a new offence of preparing acts of terrorism contrary to section five of the Terrorism Act 2006.

The other three have been charged with other offences under the Terrorism Act 2000. Susan Hemming, head of the Crown Prosecution Service Counter Terrorism Division, said: "We have been carefully examining and assessing the evidence against each individual with the assistance of anti-terrorist officers in order to come to charging decisions at the earliest practicable opportunity."

The decision to charge was taken this morning with the approval of the Director of Public Prosecutions, she added.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Peter Clarke revealed that the police investigation had uncovered bomb making equipment including chemicals and electrical components and so-called martyrdom videos.