Special Report: Major UK air terror plot thwarted

    LONDON, Sept. 4 (Xinhua) -- Eight suspects involved in the foiled terror plot to blow up British passenger jets bound for the United States will appear before a criminal court on Monday.

    The eight men, who are all facing the most serious charges of conspiracy to murder and preparing acts of terrorism, have been arrested along with 17 others since police launched raids across Britain on Aug. 10.

    The police have indicted a total of 15 suspects among the 25 people in connection with the transatlantic airplane bomb plot at Heathrow Airport last month, which was described by a senior police officer as "an attempt to commit mass murder on an unimaginable scale."

    Five have been released without any charge, and the remaining five are still being questioned by police, who last week were granted warrants to detain them until Wednesday.

    Under the 2006 Terrorism Act, the maximum period a terror suspect can be detained without charge is 28 days, subject to regular court approval. Enditem