A London bus and three Tube trains were attacked on 7 July

Mohammed Shakil, 30, Sadeer Saleem, 26, and Waheed Ali, 23, were accused of conspiracy to cause explosions likely to endanger life.

The three men - who are the first to be charged in connection with the bombings - appeared before Westminster Magistrates Court.

Fifty-two people were killed in the suicide attacks on the Tube and a bus.

Suburb

The three who appeared in court are all from Beeston, the same Leeds suburb with which the bombers had connections.

The men are alleged to have conspired with the four bombers who detonated their devices on the morning of 7 July - Mohammed Siddique Khan, Shezhad Tanweer, Jermaine Lindsay and Hasib Hussein.

The alleged targets of the conspiracy were the Transport for London system "and/or tourist attractions in London". No particular attractions were specified in the details of the charge.

The court hearing started at 1100 BST, and lasted around an hour.

The three defendants today spoke only to confirm their names and dates of birth.

Mr Saleem was the only defendant who applied for bail, but it was refused.

Senior District Judge Timothy Workman remanded all three men in custody to appear for a preliminary hearing at The Old Bailey on 20 April.

The judge said it was likely to be done by video link.

Allegations

Mr Shakil, Mr Saleem, and Mr Ali, were arrested by police on 22 March.

Two of them were arrested at Manchester Airport when they were due to catch a flight to Pakistan, while the third was detained at a house in Leeds.

The charge against them alleges that between 1 November 2004 and 29 June 2005, they "unlawfully and maliciously" conspired with the four 7/7 bombers to cause "by explosive substance, explosions on the Transport for London system and/or tourist attractions in London of a nature likely to endanger life or cause serious injury to property".

The alleged offence is contrary to Section 3(1) (a) of the Explosive Substances Act 1883.