London, April 7 (DPA) Three men charged in connection with the suicide bomb attacks on London's transport network on July 7, 2005, in which 52 passengers were killed, appeared briefly in a court here Saturday.

The three - Waheed Ali, Sadeer Saleem and Mohammed Shakil - are accused of conspiring with the four bombers who died in the blasts. All were remanded in custody until April 20 after being questioned about their identity.

The charges were the first to be brought in connection with the simultaneous attacks on three underground trains and a bus.

The three men, all believed to be Britons of Pakistani origin, have been in custody since March 22.

Two of the men were arrested at the Manchester Airport when they were due to catch a flight to Pakistan while a third was arrested at a house in Leeds, northern Britain, shortly afterwards.

The men face charges of conspiracy to cause explosions on the transport system and/or tourist attractions in the capital likely to endanger life.

Peter Clarke, head of Scotland Yard's Counter Terrorism Command, said with the men charged Thursday, the investigation into the bombings had now reached "a new stage".

Further arrests could not be ruled out, he said.