UDA man Michael Stone's trial for the attempted murder of Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness has begun.
Stone faces 14 charges, including attempted murder of the two Sinn Fein leaders and possession of explosions, knives and a garrotte.
A prosecuting barrister said Stone's intention was, firstly, to detonate several small blast bombs in the Great Hall at Stormont, what he called in a statement later to police "flash and bang" devices.
He was then intending to storm the debating chamber with more lethal bombs thrown at Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness.
As a last resort, the lawyer said, Stone had knives to stab them with and slit their throats and a garrotte to kill the two Sinn Fein leaders at closer quarters.
This, said the lawyer, was a well-planned and prepared attack to prevent the DUP and Sinn Fein agreeing to share power.
Stone, who sat impassively in the dock dressed in a denim jacket, denies the charges, claiming he had been involved in what he calls performance art.
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