Seven men held after a weapons seizure linked to loyalist paramilitaries in Northern Ireland appeared in court today.
Amid tight security, the accused face charges connected to a suspected failed burglary at a house on the outskirts of Belfast.
They were arrested earlier this week in the latest stage of Chief Constable Hugh Orde's crackdown on terrorist activity.
Police recovered a shotgun, pistol, ammunition, balaclavas, gloves and walkie-talkies after a car was stopped near a house at Craigantlet, Co Down, on Wednesday.
At the time senior officers linked the weapons find to the Ulster Volunteer Force.
Up to 30 family and friends packed the special sitting of the Newtownards Magistrates' Court to see the men remanded in custody.
One elderly woman who collapsed had to be taken for medical treatment as several relatives sobbed during the hearing.
Peter Greer, 27, and Stephen Robert Russell, 24, both of Trasnagh Drive, Ian Samuel Morrow, 32, of Blenham Drive, Stephen Gordon Scott, 19, from Victoria Park, Neil Reid, 26, of Ringburr Court and Darren Hunsdale, 24, of Catalina Gardens - all in Newtownards - faced four charges involving possessing guns, cartridges, fake weapons and other equipment for a planned aggravated burglary on a house at Craigantlet Cottages.
Greer was also accused along with Stuart Patterson, 22, of Trasnagh Drive, Newtownards, of possessing 44 rounds of 9mm one round of .45 calibre ammunition in suspicious circumstances.
A detective sergeant told the court the accused made no reply when charged apart from Scott who said "I did not know the firearms were there and I did not have a balaclava" and Russell who said "not guilty".
The officer said he believed he could connect the men to the charges. They were all remanded in custody to appear again via video link on November 29th.
PA