LONDON: The trial of eight men charged with plotting to blow up US-bound flights would not begin before 2008, the prosecution said on Monday as they were remanded to two more weeks in judicial custody.
The men, aged between 19 and 28, are charged with conspiracy to murder and the new offence of preparing acts of terrorism.
They followed their hearing at the Central Criminal Court via video link from Belmarsh high security prison in southeast London, where they are being held.
The prosecutor told the court that there would be no trial before January 2008. The next administrative hearing will take place at the same court on September 18.
The eight who appeared in court today included Ahmed Abdullah Ali, 25, Tanvir Hussain, 25, Umar Islam, 28, Arafat Waheed Khan, 25, Assad Ali Sarwar, 26, Adam Khatib, 19, Ibrahim Savant, 25 and Waheed Zaman, 25.
Six of the suspects are from east London and two are from High Wycombe, northwest of the city.
Police last month thwarted a suspected plot to bring down US-bound flights from the UK.
A total of 15 people have been charged with offenses, five have been released and investigators have until Wednesday to question five others.
