LONDON ' Jury selection began today in the trial of eight British men accused of planning to bomb airliners bound for Canada and the United States.

Prosecutors allege the group planned a series of co-ordinated suicide attacks, hoping to detonate improvised bombs aboard the planes in 2006 and kill hundreds of passengers.

Authorities said the alleged plan would have targeted flights from London to the United States and Canada with explosives concealed in containers of liquids or gels.

A police inquiry into the purported plot caused major disruption to flights in Britain, and eventually led to tight restrictions on the items airline passengers can to take aboard planes as carry-on luggage.

Judge David Calvert-Smith told about 100 prospective jurors during a selection hearing today that the trial would be long and complex.

But he said the case would likely begin on Thursday, when prosecutor Peter Wright will outline his allegations.

"This case concerns an allegation that in 2006 a number of men planned to create bombs which some of their number would take on board passenger aircraft flying from London Heathrow to various destinations in Canada and the U.S.A.," Calvert-Smith said.

He said prosecutors allege "the bombs were planned to be set off when the aircraft were airborne and the bombers and all on board the aircraft would be killed."

American and British intelligence officials have said the men had no obvious links to support networks in the United States.

A police operation on Aug. 9-10, 2006, to round up suspects in the case led to the cancellation of hundreds of flights in and out of Britain.

It prompted airlines to undertake a major review of baggage security and restrictions on the amount of liquids passengers are permitted to carry on board.

Prosecutors allege the plotters intended to use liquid explosives to create their bombs.

The eight men are accused of conspiracy to murder and of planning acts of violence likely to endanger the safety of an aircraft. Both charges carry maximum sentences of life imprisonment.

They accused have been identified as Abdulla Ahmed Ali, 27; Assad Sarwar, 27; Tanvir Hussain, 27; Mohammed Gulzar, 26; Ibrahim Savant, 27; Arafat Waheed Khan, 26; Waheed Zaman, 23 and Umar Islam, 29.

Ali also is known as Ahmed Ali Khan, and Islam also is known as Brian Young, court records show.

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