Loyalist killer Michael Stone has been found guilty at Belfast Crown Court today of attempting to murder Sinn Féin leaders Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness in anarmed attack on the Northern Ireland parliament.
Stone (53), from east Belfast, denied 14 charges, including trying to kill Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness at Stormont in November 2006.
He was also charged with possession of an imitation handgun with intent, possession of three knives, an axe and a garrotte as well as improvised explosive devices. He claims his actions were part of an act of performance art.
Mr Justice Deeney delivered his judgment in the non-jury case at Belfast Crown Court today.
TV cameras in situ to cover political developments in the stalling peace process captured the moment Stone burst through the revolving doors and was hauled to the ground by two security guards - both of whom were
later honoured for their bravery.
The judge said defence evidence that Stone had been taking part in some sort of a "comic parody" was "hopelessly unconvincing" and "self-contradictory".
"I am satisfied that Mr Stone went to Stormont to try and murder the two Sinn Féin leaders on November 24th, 2006," he said.
After the verdict was read out, Stone, dressed in trademark denim jacket and jeans, shouted from the dock: "It is another concession to the Shinners."
As well as the two attempted murder charges, he was convicted on seven other counts, including possession of nail bombs, three knives, a garrotte and an axe, as well as causing criminal damage to the Stormont building.
During the four-and-a-half-week trial defence lawyers had argued that these weapons were all "props", while letters Stone sent to two journalists outlining his intention to kill the senior republicans were also part of his
"script".
The piece of interpretative theatre was designed to expose the hypocrisy of local politicians, the multiple killer had claimed.
But Crown prosecutors dismissed these theories as nonsense, accusing Stone of dreaming them up after the event in a bid to explain away murderous intentions.
The judge concurred with that assessment today and said the defence had failed to put any doubt in his mind that Stone had set out to kill the senior republicans.
He asked if it was supposed to be some form of act that had Stone admitted his desire to kill the men during police interview after his arrest.
"If this had really been a mere protest, that was the time to tell the police," he said.
The judge added that even if Stone was acting, that was no justification for criminal behaviour.
"It is clear to me that some action constituting performance art cannot justify the use of violence, the threat of violence or putting others at risk of violence," he said.
Judge Deeney said he was satisfied with the evidence of explosives experts that nail bombs and incendiary devices carried by Stone on his one-man mission were viable and could have caused death.
The event happened four months before the historic power-sharing deal between Sinn Féin and the Democratic Unionists on the day Ian Paisley and Martin McGuinness were due to be nominated as Northern Ireland's new First and Deputy First Ministers.
The trial, which was interrupted in June when Stone sacked some of his legal team, ended in late September with the judge taking the last six weeks to reach today's judgment.
Stone, who was released from prison on licence under the terms of the 1998 Good Friday Peace Agreement, will be sentenced next month.
Former UDA member Stone, who attained notoriety in 1988 after killing three mourners when he launched a gun and grenade attack on an IRA funeral at Milltown cemetery in west Belfast, said his appearance at Stormont was a piece of theatre intended to expose the hypocrisy of the politicians.
During his four-and-a-half week trial he said his intervention had actually saved the peace process by giving Sinn Féin and the DUP some breathing space to reach their final settlement.