Stone bombs 'could have killed'

Four pipe bombs filled with nails were allegedly taken from Stone

Pipe bombs Michael Stone allegedly took to Stormont could have killed people if they had gone off, an Army bomb expert has told a court.

He said the devices contained nails and would "most certainly" have caused an explosion, with the nails striking anyone within 10 metres.

Stone, 53, denies attempting to murder Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness as well as 12 other charges.

These include possessing nail and pipe bombs, three knives and an axe.

He is also accused of possessing a garotte and having an imitation firearm with intent to commit an offence.

The Army ATO officer, Captain Matthew Paul Wilson, told Wednesday's hearing that he had built similar pipe bombs, without nails, to illustrate to soldiers the effect of such devices.

He said: "I certainly would not stand anywhere near it", and added that 200 metres away would be preferable.

'Evidence admitted'

In total four pipe bombs filled with nails were allegedly taken from Stone.

The court has already heard that other devices were found in a camera bag outside Stormont and a further improvised bomb, described by Stone as a "flash-bang" device, was in a flight bag he allegedly flung at the X-ray machine just inside the front doors.

The bomb expert said this bag contained about 12 fireworks, all taped around a two litre plastic bottle filled with petrol, which in turn contained fire lighters.

In another portion of the bag, there was a half empty lighter gas canister, more fire lighters and petrol-filled bottles, the court heard.

The expert told the court that if this device had ignited and worked, the best case scenario would have been a fire from the petrol, the fireworks "flying around" and while there would have been "no shrapnel as such", their exploding heads could "potentially spray more fuel around and cause minor blasts".

He said that at worst, there would have been the fire which caught any carpet or furniture, plus the "added hazard" of having the rockets flying around.

Asked what the potential effect was for those close-by, he said: "There's a real danger of someone being severely burnt and there's a hazard in the fireworks themselves if they were to function."

A defence lawyer said evidence about previous experiments carried out by Captain Wilson had not been disclosed to the defence.

However, the judge said the witness's evidence could be admitted.