Three would-be jihadists who dubbed themselves the Three Musketeers have been jailed for life for plotting an attack on a police or military target.

Naweed Ali, 29, Khobaib Hussain, 25, both of Sparkhill, Birmingham, and Mohibur Rahman, 33, of Stoke-on-Trent, had planned a “mass casualty attack”. A fourth man, Tahir Aziz, 38, of Stoke, was also given a life term.

Old Bailey judge Mr Justice Globe said the men had been gripped by a “long-standing, radical, violent ideology”.

When police arrested the men in August last year they found weapons including a meat cleaver and a partially constructed pipe bomb.

Three of the men – Ali, Hussain and Rahman – had previously served prison sentences after being convicted of terrorism offences. The trio – who called themselves the Three Musketeers in group messages – were each sentenced to a minimum of 20 years in prison. All three refused to come to court.

Aziz was sentenced to a minimum term of 15 years in prison. A jury convicted the men of engaging in conduct in preparation of terrorist acts between May and August 2016.

Mr Justice Globe said he was satisfied it was only because of the work of undercover police and the security services that an imminent terrorist attack “involving a considerable loss of life” was stopped.

The purpose of the planned attack was “to kill or injure and cause terror” and “to promote an anti-Western ideology,” he added.

Police say the men, who pleaded not guilty, had been inspired by so-called Islamic State, also known as Daesh.

During the trial, the jury heard how the defendants had been looking at violent material online, joined extremist social media groups and bought new mobile phones to help them further their plans. The men used a Three Musketeers image from the Disney cartoon as a logo on encrypted Telegram messages sent between them.

The court also heard how neighbours Ali and Hussain had previously been jailed for terrorism offences. They had attempted to join an al-Qaeda training camp in Pakistan in 2011. However, when they arrived back in the UK they were arrested and the following year both pleaded guilty to engaging in conduct in preparation of terrorist acts.

The pair first met Rahman – who had been convicted of possessing an al-Qaeda magazine – while in prison.