UK charges four men over alleged terrorism plot

Four men in the UK on Thursday have been charged under the country’s Terrorism Act over an alleged plot to commit an act of terrorism.

The suspects, Umar Ahmed Haque, Muhammad Abid, Abuthaher Mamun and Nadeem Ilyas Patel, who were arrested last week, appear to not have been involved in the Manchester bombing that killed 22 people on Monday night.

They are due to appear in court on Friday. According to a BBC report, Haque was charged with preparing to commit acts of terrorism and possessing records likely to be useful in terrorism.

Abid was charged with failing to disclose information about Haque and Mamum was charged of assisting in preparing to commit an act of terrorism.

Patel was also charged and due to appear before court on Friday for conspiring to possess a firearm.

British counter-terrorism police have said they are making on average an arrest every day in connection with suspected terrorism.

In March, a man ploughed a car into pedestrians on London's Westminster Bridge, killing four people, before stabbing to death a police officer who was on the grounds of parliament. He was shot dead at the scene.

Britain has increased its security threat level to "critical" from "severe" following the suicide attack in Manchester.

"It is a possibility we cannot ignore that there is a wider group of individuals linked to this attack," Prime Minister Theresa May said on Tuesday.

May also said members of the armed forces would boost security at key sites and military personnel might be deployed at public events such as concerts.