BBC - 19th December 2006

Loyalist Michael Stone's planned incursion on a crucial meeting of Stormont politicians was "performance art", his defence lawyer has claimed.

Stone, 51, was applying for bail on charges of attempting to murder Gerry Adams, Martin McGuinness and two security guards on November 24.

Stone's defence lawyer Arthur Harvey, QC, said he had received instructions from Stone that the incident, which caused chaos at Stormont and led to the evacuation of Parliament Buildings, was not intended to endanger the life of anyone.

"It was, in fact, a piece of performance art replicating a terrorist attack," said Mr Harvey.

Wikipedia - Michael Stone

On November 24, 2006, at 11.16am, Stone was arrested for breaking into the parliament buildings at Stormont armed with an imitation Beretta 92FS pistol, a knife and a "viable" bomb, after placing 8 "pipe bombs" within the grounds of Stormont. One male and one female civilian security guard disarmed him as he entered the building, by trapping him within the revolving doors of the main lobby entrance. Following the security breach, the building was evacuated and an Army Bomb Disposal Unit was called to examine the suspect device.

On December 19, 2006, Stone's defence lawyer Arthur Harvey, QC, claimed on his behalf that the Stormont incident was not intended to endanger the life of anyone. "It was, in fact, a piece of performance art replicating a terrorist attack," said Harvey.