Airline bomb suspects appear in UK court

London, Sep 18: Thirteen British men accused of plotting to blow up transatlantic airliners appeared in court today by video link from the high-security jail where they are being held.

Dressed in white or dark red tops and trousers, the men watched from Belmarsh prison in southeast London while legal arguments over their case were heard at the Old Bailey.

They spoke only to confirm their names.

All have been charged with conspiracy to murder and planning acts of terrorism by smuggling explosive components on board planes and detonating them.

They were among 25 arrested by detectives who said on Aug.

10 they had foiled a plan to use homemade liquid explosives to bring down several airliners flying from Britain to the United States.

Prosecutor Colin Gibbs told the court that all key evidence for the case should be delivered to the defendants and their lawyers by Feb 12 next year.

The judge ordered a further hearing in the case for Oct 27.

The full trial is not expected to start before January 2008.

Reuters