Two men arrested under the Terrorism Act last month were charged today with conspiracy to murder and conspiracy to cause an explosion, the Metropolitan Police said.

No specific targets were identified, but one of the men was accused of having video material showing how to make a car bomb and also material showing a number of places in Washington DC.

The men were held on October 21 and 22 in Chatham, Kent, and Shepherd’s Bush, West London, on suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism.

Waseem Mughal, 22, and Younis Tsouli, 22, were each charged with conspiracy to murder, conspiracy to cause an explosion, conspiracy to cause a public nuisance, conspiracy to obtain money by deception, and other offences under the Terrorism Act.

A third man, 19-year-old Tariq al-Daour, was charged with conspiracy to obtain money by deception, through alleged credit card fraud, and two offences under the Terrorism Act relating to the possession of money for terrorist purposes and fundraising.

All three men will appear at Bow Street Magistrates’ Court at 2pm today.

The investigation is not connected to the July 7 London bombings, police said.

Among the accusations made against the men was that Mr Mughal, at his home in Kent, was in possession of a recipe for rocket propellant and guidance on causing an explosion that was likely to be of use to terrorists.

He is also accused of having jihadist material in Arabic, and a piece of paper with the words "Hospital=Attack", "containing information of a kind likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism".

Mr Tsouli is charged with possessing a "video slides film" on his computer hard drive showing how to make a car bomb. He is also accused of possessing a film showing a number of places in Washington DC and a picture of a police vehicle used to prevent chemical, biological or nuclear attacks.

The nationalities of the men have not been released, although none is believed to be British-born.

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