'PM terror threat' three remanded

Three men charged with terror offences following a threat to assassinate Prime Minister Gordon Brown have been remanded in custody.

Ishaq Kanmi, 22, is accused of soliciting murder and of belonging or professing to belong to al-Qaeda.

Abbas Iqbal, 23, and Ilyas Iqbal, 21, each face charges of possessing terrorist material.

The men, all from Blackburn, were remanded at Westminster Magistrates' Court in central London.

It is understood no actual plot was in place but officers discovered a written threat to both the prime minister and his predecessor Tony Blair on an extremist jihadi website.

Ishaq Kanmi faces additional charges of inviting support for al-Qaeda and dissemination of terrorist publications.

Abbas Iqbal is also charged with dissemination of terrorist publications.

And Ilyas Iqbal is also charged with collecting or making a record of information likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism.

The men were arrested at Manchester Airport and in Accrington, Lancashire on 14 August.

A fourth man, arrested on Tuesday in Blackburn, and a fifth man arrested in Derby the same day, remain in custody. On Wednesday, police were granted an additional seven days to question them.