Britain charges 12th suspect over plane bomb plot

LONDON - British authorities charged a 12th suspect today over a suspected plot to blow up US-bound airliners.

Umair Hussain, 24, was charged with failing to give information that could have prevented a terrorist attack, police said. He was due to appear in a London court tomorrow.

British police announced on Aug. 10 they had thwarted a plot to blow up airliners over the Atlantic by smuggling liquid explosives on to flights.

Earlier this week, prosecutors charged eight British Muslims with conspiracy to murder and preparing acts of terrorism. They were accused of plotting to smuggle parts of home-made bombs on to planes, then build the bombs and detonate them.

A 17-year-old was charged with possessing items useful to a terrorist, including a book on home-made bombs, suicide notes and wills "with the identities of persons prepared to commit acts of terrorism", prosecutors said.

Two other suspects, including the mother of an eight-month-old baby, were charged with failing to report the plot.

Eight other people remain in custody and have not been charged. Police have until next Thursday to question them.

- REUTERS