London, Oct 17 (IANS): Four men, arrested here, have been charged with plotting a terrorist attack after having allegedly sworn an oath to the Islamic State (IS) militant organisation and conducting hostile reconnaissance on a west London police station.

Identified as Tarik Hassane, 21, Suhaib Majeed, 20, Nyall Hamlett, 24, and Momen Motasim, 21, these individuals were arrested during counter-terrorism raids in London over the last fortnight.

They had acquired a gun, silencer and ammunition, and were carrying out "hostile reconnaissance" on a police station and army barracks in the capital, the Guardian reported Friday.

Police said Friday they had been charged with the intention of committing acts of terrorism, or assisting others to commit such acts between July 8 and Oct 7, 2014.

They allegedly had a copy of an Islamic State fatwa calling for strikes against the US and its allies in retaliation for their military action against the extremist group in Iraq.