Man charged with conspiring with "shoebomber"

British anti-terror police said yesterday they had charged a man with conspiring with convicted "shoebomber" Richard Reid to carry out bomb attacks in Britain or elsewhere in the world.

Sajid Badat, 24, who was arrested at his home in the southwestern town of Gloucester last week, has also been charged with possessing explosives.

Reid, who is British, was jailed for life in January in the United States after admitting trying to blow up a transatlantic airliner using explosives hidden in his shoe.

British police have carried out a series of raids in central and southern England in the last week arresting more than 20 people.

Britain has been on its second highest security alert for two weeks after intelligence officials said they had information an attack was planned, without specifying any target.