Three men charged in Britain with terrorism offences
(AFP)
Updated: 2005-12-12 08:58

Three men charged with terrorism offences were to appear in a London magistrates court on Monday, sources at Scotland Yard said.

The three men, who were arrested in central England last week, face charges of supporting terrorists.

One of the men, aged 39, is also charged with directing the activities of a terror group.

His co-accused are 34 and 42 years of age.

All three were arrested in the central county of Worcestershire last Monday by officers of Scotland Yard's anti-terrorism branch. but their detention was said not to be linked to enquiries into the deadly suicide bomb attacks on the London transport system on July 7 or a set of similar failed attacks two weeks later.

No details were given of the three suspects who were to appear at London's Bow Street magistrates court on Monday for a preliminary hearing.

The three are accused of conspiring to procure money and other property which they knew or suspected may be used for terrorism between January 2001 and October 4 2005.

The 39-year-old is also charged with leading a group suspected of carrying out terrorist acts on or before October this year.

According to the information provided by Scotland Yard at the time of their arrests, the men are not suspected of planning terror attacks in Britain but of aiding extremists abroad.