Three men appeared in a Belfast court today on charges of possessing an arsenal of weapons of use in terrorism.
Belfast Magistrates' Court heard that the men were stopped in the Upper Road, Greenisland, near Belfast, on Saturday evening following a stand-off between loyalists in Carrickfergus, Co Antrim, in which a policeman was shot and one man stabbed.
Thomas Duff (40), John Rafferty (38), and Alan James Tynan (36) are accused of possession of batons, a crossbow, knives and spray to incapacitate following disturbances linked to the Ulster Defence Association on the Castlemara estate last weekend.
They were arrested when police intercepted their vehicle in Greenisland on Saturday night. Among the items in their alleged possession was also a balaclava and gloves.
The three men deny any involvement in terrorism. They were remanded in custody to reappear at a later date.