Seven men, all from Algeria, were charged in Edinburgh with preparing a terrorist attack, officials said.The seven, who were arrested six days ago in Edinburgh and London, were charged under Section 57 of the Terrorism Act 2000, which deals with possession of articles "in circumstances which give rise to a reasonable suspicion" that they could be used for a terrorist attack.

During an hour-long appearance behind closed doors at Edinburgh sheriff's court, the seven men "made no plea or declaration, and were remanded in custody," the Scottish Executive said in a press statement.

British news media said the seven were expected to reappear in court next Wednesday, when a trial date might be set.
No other details were given.

The seven were named by the Scottish Executive as Abdellah Abdelhafid, 33; Mourad Idir Abes, 27; Ghalem Belhadj, 36; Karim Benamghar, 31; Salah Moullef, 32; Hakim Ziem, 31; and Sofiane Lahamar Hassim Ziem, 29.

Belhadj was identified by the Scottish Executive as "a prisoner in the prison of Kilmarnock," in Scotland. Abdelhafid's residence was given as West Ealing in London, that of Abes as Cowley in Oxford, while the others were said to live in Edinburgh.

The maximum penalty for offenses under section 57 of the Terrorism Act is 10 years in prison, plus fines.

The seven had been arrested last Wednesday and detained in a high security unit at Govan police station in Glasgow.

It was not immediately clear whether the arrests were connected with the detention the previous day of four men in the Paris area on suspicion of plotting a terrorist attack.

British officials, on high alert against a terrorist attack over the Christmas holidays, said at the time that there was no immediate link between the French and British arrests.

But they did not rule out the possibility that a connection might emerge as police investigations continued.

French Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy said that the four arrested in the Paris area might have been preparing a terror attack.

The four suspects in France, believed to have spent time in training camps in Afghanistan and Chechnya, were allegedly in contact with Rabah Kadre, an Algerian arrested in London in November.

Kadre, 35, and two other North African men pleaded not guilty on December 16 to charges of possession of cash or ID papers "in circumstances which gave rise to a reasonable suspicion that their possession was for a purpose connected with the commission, preparation or instigation of an act of terrorism."

Last Thursday a Scottish sheriff granted an application by Lothian and Borders police, spearheading the investigation, to detain all the suspects without charge until Tuesday.

In Scotland's legal system, which is separate from England and Wales, sheriffs are local judges with important criminal jurisdiction.

PHOTO CAPTION

Seven men, all from Algeria, were charged in Edinburgh, Scotland, with preparing a terrorist attack.