Jury considers guns verdict

Some of the weapons recovered by UK officials

A jury in Florida has retired to consider its verdict in a trial of three people accused of smuggling guns to the IRA.

The accused are Anthony Smyth, 43, Martin Mullan, 30, and Conor Claxton, 27, from Northern Ireland.

They are charged with trying to smuggle two packages containing 122 guns and 23 munitions packages to Northern Ireland.

The packages were monitored and intercepted in Britain where officials replaced them with replicas and inert firearms according to evidence given in court.

The court heard that the weapons were concealed in children's toys, computers and stereo equipment.

Jury told to consider whether defendants violated US law

Mr Claxton admitted he was a member of the IRA but said the other two defendants were not involved.

A federal prosecutor told the jury that they shouldn't consider who is right in Northern Ireland, but only whether U.S. laws were violated.

Prosecutor Richard Scruggs told the jurors during his closing rebuttal argument that if they used their common sense, it was clear that the defendants procured and shipped guns for the IRA.

"Put aside the emotion, prejudice, hatred and irrationality and weigh the evidence rationally and use your own common sense," he said.

The jury began deliberations on Wednesday afternoon after getting detailed instructions on the charges and the law from U.S. District Judge Wilkie D. Ferguson.

After five hours, the jury went home with instructions to resume Monday morning.

If convicted of the most serious terrorist conspiracy charge, all three defendants could face life sentences.