British Court Approves Maintaining Custody of Plot Suspects

LONDON, Aug. 12 -- British police have prolonged the detention of all but one of the original two dozen suspects accused of plotting to explode multiple airplanes destined for the United States, authorities said Saturday.

A British court approved a request to keep 22 of the suspects in custody until Wednesday even though they have not been charged. The hearing of another suspect was adjourned until Monday, and one of the arrested was released without charge, according to Scotland Yard officials.

A police spokeswoman said the terrorism act of 2000 allowed authorities to detain the suspects for 28 days without charging them.

The names and ages of 19 of the suspects have been released, sketching an outline of a group that appears primarily young -- the majority in their twenties -- London-based and Muslim. Intelligence officials have said more than half of the suspects have family ties to Pakistan.

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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/12/AR2006081200566.html