Three men in US charged with plotting to kill troops

WITH jobs, families and college courses, three men of Middle Eastern descent appeared to be active members of their Midwestern communities, but prosecutors say they were plotting to kill US and coalition troops in Iraq.

According to a federal indictment unsealed Tuesday, they are charged with conspiracy to kill, kidnap, maim, or injure people or damage property in a foreign country. They are also charged with conspiracy to kill Americans and harbouring or concealing terrorists.

The indictment says the group travelled to a shooting range to practice and studied how to make explosives. It alleges that at least one of the men researched and tried to obtain government grants and private funding for the training.