Man arrested in British anti-terror swoop charged

A man arrested by British police last week in a co-ordinated sweep has been charged with conspiracy to cause explosions, police said yesterday.

"Suspect A, a male aged 17, who was arrested on March 30 by officers from the Anti-Terrorist Branch has been charged this afternoon with conspiracy to cause explosions with intent to injure or damage property," they said in a statement.

The statement said the man would appear at Central London's Bow Street Magistrate's Court today, which will be sitting as a youth court for the occasion because of his age.

A total of nine men were held in the series of raids which also uncovered half a tonne of ammonium nitrate - a commercial fertiliser which can also be a key component in home-made bombs.

The men, all British citizens aged 17 to 32 and reported in the press to be Muslims of Pakistani origin, are being held at a high security London police station.

The other eight men are still being questioned after police were granted a detention extension yesterday.

Under British anti-terrorism laws, police can apply for extensions to detain suspects for questioning for up to 14 days without charge.

Canadian police have confirmed that their arrest of a Canadian-born software developer was linked to the British arrests.