Four men accused of conspiring to support the Tamil Tigers organisation have been remanded in custody.

The men were arrested at addresses in London, Swindon and Wales, as part of a long-running investigation aimed at flushing out sympathisers of the banned terrorist group.

Scotland Yard said they are accused of possessing equipment including radios, computers and high-powered magnets for terrorism.

The four men are Arunachalam Chrishanthakumar, also known as AC Shanthan, 51, of Norbury, south London, Murugesu Jegatheeswaran, also known as M Jegan, 33, of Mitcham, south London, Jegatheswaran Muraleetharan, also known as Muralee Tharan, 46, of Newtown, Powys, and his brother Jeyatheswaran Vythyatharan, also known as Vithy Tharan, 39, of Newtown, Powys.

They appeared at City of Westminster Magistrates' Court and have been remanded in custody and ordered to appear at the Old Bailey on May 23.

All four face a single charge of conspiring to receive equipment for terrorist purposes between January 2003 and December 2006.

Among the items listed in the charge were Toughnote laptops, head torches, printed circuit boards and lithium coin cell batteries.

They are also accused of possessing other electrical equipment, GPS and antenna equipment, transceivers, radios, navigation systems and magnets.

The Tamil Tigers - or Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) - are responsible for three decades of guerrilla fighting in Sri Lanka.

Government officials and senior police officers believe large sums of money are collected in Britain to fund further attacks.

Tamil Tiger activists are also suspected of involvement in widespread credit card scams, fraud and extortion.

© Independent Television News Limited 2008. All rights reserved.