Three charged following searches

The accused appeared at Belfast Magistrates Court

Three people have been remanded in custody following searches earlier this week by police in Armagh and Fermanagh.

Police said at the time they believed they had stopped an international gun smuggling operation.

Desmond Kearns, 41, and his wife Alison Patricia Kearns, 37, from Tannaghmore Green, Lurgan, were charged in a Belfast court with procuring weapons.

Michael Dermot Gregory, 37, of Concession Road, Crossmaglen, was charged with making assets available.

Mr Kearns was charged with conspiring with others to possess weapons includings AK-47s, sniper rifles, pistols, silencers, heavy machine guns and various types of ammunition.

He was also charged with conspiring to possess anti-tank armour-piercing weapons, plastic explosives, detonating devices and RPGs.

His wife was charged with inviting another person to provide weapons intending they should be used.

Mr Gregory was charged with making an arrangement whereby the assets of a commerical property in Portugal were made available to another who also knew or suspected the assets would be used for terrorism.

A detective inspector told the court that he believed he could connect the accused to the charges.

They were remanded in custody for a month.