ISLAMABAD — A defense lawyer said a Pakistani court charged five young Americans with planning terrorist attacks in the South Asian country.

Lawyer Hasan Dastagir said the men — all Muslims from the Washington, D.C., area — also were charged today with planning to wage war against countries that are in alliance with Pakistan.

Dastagir said his clients pleaded not guilty to the charges against them. The men could face life in prison if convicted on all charges.

They were charged by a court in Sargodha, the city in Punjab province where they were arrested in December.

Their lawyer has said they were heading to Afghanistan and had no plans to stage attacks inside Pakistan.