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New charges in UK 'kidnap plot'

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LONDON, England (CNN) -- Five men have been charged under anti-terrorism laws after a series of police raids in the central English city of Birmingham last week, according to news reports.

Two of the men are aged 30, one is 31, another is 36 years old and a fifth is 43 years old, according to the Press Association.

Another man, 38, was released without charge, police said.

The men are expected to appear before a magistrates' court later Friday.

The men were among nine arrested in the Birmingham area last week who allegedly planned to kidnap, torture and behead a British Muslim soldier who had served in Afghanistan.

Police said the plot was foiled by a series of raids by West Midlands police throughout central England on January 31 in what the Home Office called a "major counterterrorism operation."

Police said a large amount of evidence seized during the January 31 raids in Birmingham that must be analyzed and additional questions asked of those still in custody.

Security services believe a terrorist attack is highly likely in Britain. An attack on London's public transport in 2005 killed 52 people, and the country is on its second highest alert level.

Last year the head of MI5, Britain's domestic spy service, said that about 30 terrorism plots were being worked on and agents were monitoring around 1,600 suspects.

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