Three men have appeared in court on terror charges after they were stopped allegedly trying to smuggle themselves out of Britain to travel to Iraq or Syria to join Islamic State.

The trio, all in their 20s and from Birmingham, were arrested earlier this month when they were found in the back of an articulated lorry at the Port of Dover.

Gabriel Clement Rasmus, Anas Abdow Abdalla and Mahamuud Diini, were detained on April 3 in the port's departure zone following an investigation by the West Midlands Counter Terrorism Unit.

They were charged under the Terrorism Act yesterday by the Crown Prosecution Service and appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court today, each accused of one count of preparing to commit acts of terrorism.

Prosecutor Adam Harbinson said: "It is alleged that Gabriel Rasmus, Anas Abdalla and Mahamuud Diini attempted to smuggle themselves out of the UK for the purposes of travelling to Syria or Iraq to engage in terrorism."

Abdalla, 26, of Foxhollies Road, and Diini, 25, of Coventry Road, spoke only to confirm their names and ages and did not apply for bail.

Rasmus, 28, of Chain Walk, represented himself in court and asked for bail but was refused.

None of the men entered pleas and District Judge Tan Ikram remanded them in custody. They will next appear at the Old Bailey on May 14.