Nine terror suspects were charged Monday with planning a series of bombings in Britain and ordered to remain in custody.

Details about their alleged plot were not released, but security officials said they were planning substantial attacks on British cities and landmarks. It was described as an extensive plot that posed a real threat to public safety.

The suspects were expected to be back in court Jan. 14 on a variety of terror-related charges including conspiracy to cause explosions.

Chief magistrate Howard Riddle at the City of Westminster Magistrates' Court ordered the men be held until their next court date.

The nine men, and three others who have since been released without charge, were taken into custody last week during dawn raids in London, Cardiff and Stoke-on-Trent in central England.

The nine men ordered held are: Gurukanth Desai, 28, Omar Sharif Latif, 26, and Abdul Malik Miah, 24, from Cardiff, Mohammed Moksudur Rahman Chowdhury, 20, and Shah Mohammed Lutfar Rahman, 28, from London, and Nazam Hussain, 25, Usman Khan, 19, Mohibur Rahman, 26, and Abul Bosher Mohammed Shahjahan, 26, from Stoke-on-Trent.