16th person charged in failed attempts to bomb London's transport system

The 16th person to be charged in the failed attempts to bomb London's transport system on July 21 appeared briefly in court Friday. Adel Yahya, a 23-year-old student, was ordered to remain in detention until a further appearance at the Central Criminal Court on Jan. 6. Yahya was arrested Tuesday at Gatwick Airport after arriving on a flight from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

He was charged Thursday with conspiring with four other men, all of whom are awaiting trial over the plot to attack three subway trains and a double-decker bus, "to cause by an explosive substance, explosions of a nature likely to endanger life or cause serious injury to property."

Five men are accused of plotting to murder passengers on London's transit system on July 21 and face trial in September. The failed attacks came two weeks after suicide bombers killed 52 commuters in London on July 7. Muktar Said Ibrahim, 27, Ramzi Mohamed, 23, Yassin Omar, 24, Hussein Osman, 27, are accused of trying to bomb three subway trains and a bus. The plot failed because the bombs failed to detonate.

The fifth suspect, Manfo Kwaku Asiedu, 32, was arrested after a backpack of explosives was found in a raid. All face a charge of conspiracy to murder. Yahya is accused of conspiring with Osman, Ibrahim, Asiedu and Omar.

Ten other people have been charged with failing to disclose information about the suspects and helping them evade arrest. They include Osman's wife, Yeshiemebet Girma, 29, her younger sister Mulumebet Girma, 21 and their brother Essayas Girma, 20, reports the AP. I.L.