Belfast The loyalist killer Michael Stone was jailed for 16 years for the attempted murder of senior Sinn Féin leaders at the Northern Ireland Assembly in what he claimed was an act of performance art.

Stone, 53, a former member of the paramilitary Ulster Defence Association who killed three mourners at an IRA funeral in 1988, tried to storm the Stormont building in November 2006 before being wrestled under control by two security guards. The judge said his art claim was not believable.

He was convicted of the attempted murders of Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness and found guilty of seven other charges, including possession of nail bombs, three knives, a garrotte, an axe and causing criminal damage. At Belfast Crown Court, Mr Justice Deeney said he had decided against a life term partly because Stone was now permanently confined to a wheelchair.

In 1989 Stone was convicted of six murders, but was released on licence in 2000 under the Good Friday agreement. That is now likely to be revoked and Stone faces another 30 years in jail under its terms.

Major General Chris Brown, the Army's General Officer Commanding in Northern Ireland, is leaving Belfast in January to be replaced by a Brigadier — the first time a general has not been in command.

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