Eleven terrorism suspects remained under investigation last night after police charged 11 others in connection with the alleged plot to target UK flights to the United States with liquid bombs.
The Director of Public Prosecutions approved charges of conspiracy to murder and preparing acts of terrorism against eight people, and charges involving lesser offences under the Terrorism Act against a further three. One woman was released.
Susan Hemming, head of the Crown Prosecution Service's counter-terrorism division, has indicated that a decision will be taken tomorrow on whether to seek the further detention of the 11 suspects who have not yet been charged.
Police meanwhile have revealed significant detail about evidence uncovered so far.
Deputy assistant commissioner Peter Clarke said 69 searches of houses, flats, business premises, vehicles and open spaces had yielded bomb-making equipment, including chemicals and more than 400 computers, 200 mobile telephones and 8,000 computer media items such as memory sticks, CDs and DVDs. A number of so-called "martyrdom videos" were found.
Mr Clarke said "the enormity of the alleged plot" would be matched only by police determination to follow every lead: "The scale is immense. Inquiries will span the globe."
Confirming that investigation of all the material would take many months, Mr Clarke said: "All the data will be analysed. There will be thousands of forensic examinations and comparisons. Fingerprints, DNA, electronic data, handwriting comparisons, chemical analysis and the full range of forensic disciplines will be used."
Mr Clarke sought to assure the public the police were doing everything possible to keep them safe. However, he added a chilling warning: "We must be realistic. The threat from terrorism is real. It is here, it is deadly and it is enduring." Acknowledging these were "difficult times for all communities" in Britain, Mr Clarke also insisted "the police service will not flinch from its duty to protect the public".
Ms Hemming said she and another senior lawyer from the CPS had been working full-time with police, examining and assessing the evidence against each individual with the assistance of anti-terrorist officers, in order to reach charging decisions as soon as possible.
Ahmed Abdullah Ali, Tanvir Hussain, Umar Islam, Arafat Waheed Khan, Assad Ali Sarwar, Adam Khatib, Ibrahim Savant and Waheed Zaman are charged with conspiring with others to murder on diverse days between January 1st, 2006 and August 10th. All 11 charged, including a woman, are expected to appear in court today.