Eleven people have been charged in connection with a suspected plot to blow up airliners over the Atlantic, British officials said on Monday.
Peter Clarke, head of London police’s anti-terrorist branch, said police had seized bomb-making equipment and ”martyrdom videos” — an apparent reference to testaments by would-be suicide bombers — during intensive searches.
Eight were charged with conspiracy to murder and three with other offences, prosecutor Susan Hemming said. One woman was released without charge, she said.
Another 11 of 23 British Muslims arrested in raids announced on August 10 were still being held pending a decision on whether to charge them, she said.
British police said on August 10 they had foiled a plot to bring down airliners over the Atlantic using liquid explosives.
”This morning I made a decision that there was sufficient evidence and authorised … the charge of 11 individuals,” Hemming told reporters.
”Eight are currently being charged with … conspiracy to murder and the new offence of preparing acts of terrorism,” she said.
A 17-year-old was being charged with possessing items useful to terrorists and two others were being charged with failing to report the plot.
”Since August 10 we have found bomb-making equipment. There are chemicals including hydrogen peroxide, electrical components, documents and other items. We have also found a number of video recordings — these are sometimes referred to as martyrdom videos,” Clarke said. — Reuters