The eight British Muslims who appeared in court yesterday via videolink, charged in connection with an alleged plot to blow up transatlantic jets, were remanded in custody for two weeks and told that their trial might not begin until 2008.
The judge granted a two-week adjournment of the preliminary hearing but was then told by prosecutor Colin Gibbs that, "because of its complexity," the trial was not likely to start before January 2008 and "could even be delayed until several months after that."
One of the defendant's lawyers Jonathan Whitfield, said the length of the delay, caused him "Grave concern".
Meanwhile, for those of you who are counting:
Three other men have also been charged with conspiracy to murder and preparing an act of terrorism and will appear in court on September 18.
Four others have been charged with lesser offences, including "withholding information about an impending terrorist attack and possessing items and information likely to be useful to someone planning an attack."
Five have been released without charge; and five others remain in custody after police were given permission to hold them until Wednesday.
