The British government is playing down reports of a planned cyanide gas attack on London's Underground system after three men were arrested under anti-terrorism legislation.
Scotland Yard, London's police headquarters, said the men had been charged under the Terrorism Act with "possession of articles for the preparation, instigation and commission of terrorism acts".
However, Britain's deputy Prime Minister John Prescott said there was no evidence that bombs or poison gas were involved.
"It's excited the press. I'll leave them to sell their newspapers," he told BBC Television today. "It doesn't appear that there's any evidence whatsoever there was going to be a gas attack or indeed use of bombs regarding the three people who've been arrested."
Police named the arrested men as Rabah Chekat-Bais, 21, Karim Kadouri, 33, and Rabah Kadris, in his mid-30s. All were unemployed and living in Britain. They are believed to come from north Africa and will appear in court on Monday.
The Sunday Timesnewspaper claimed the three had planned to launch a cyanide attack on the underground system which carries more than three million passengers around London every day.
The paper said the men were members of a group allegedly linked to Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda network and had planned to import chemicals into Britain to make a gas bomb.
Police sources said the men had not been charged with plotting a specific attack and no noxious substance had been found during the course of the inquiry.
The London Underground has never been subjected to a major terror attack. However, the alleged plot will to rekindle memories of an assault seven years ago on the Tokyo metro.
Then, 12 people died and around 5,000 were injured when a Japanese religious cult released a nerve agent, sarin, on the underground during rush hour.