IAN GRAHAM

Loyalist killer Michael Stone planned to slit the throats of Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness in an assassination inside the Northern Ireland Assembly Chamber when he stormed Stormont in 2006, a court heard yesterday.

Mr Stone, 53, plotted to kill them in front of the TV cameras on the November day Mr McGuinness was designated as Deputy First Minister, it is claimed.

However his plan ended in failure when he was detained by security staff at the entrance to Parliament Buildings.

He launched the murder bid because he considered the Sinn Fein leaders to be "republican war criminals" who did not deserve to be in government, the court was told.

Mr Stone faced a total of 14 charges, including attempting to murder Mr Adams and Mr McGuinness, when he went on trial at Belfast Crown Court yesterday.

He was also charged with possessing home-made explosives and an imitation gun with intent, carrying a garrotte, three knives and an axe and assaulting staff members who trapped him in the revolving doors at Stormont.

Mr Stone has denied the charges, claiming his attack was "performance art".

But prosecuting council Charles Adair QC said that after being arrested by police, Stone said: "My intention was to walk into the debating chamber and look for where Adams, McGuinness and Sinn Fein were sitting. I would have lobbed several nail bombs to cause confusion."

The case was adjourned for a week.