London  - Michael Stone, one of the most notorious figures among former Protestant paramilitary groups in Northern Ireland, planned to "slit the throats" of senior Republican leaders when he attacked the regional parliament in Belfast in November, 2006, a court heard Monday.

Stone, 53, who went on trial at Belfast Crown Court Monday, is facing a total of 14 charges, including the attempted murder of Gerry Adams, the President of Sinn Fein, and his deputy, Martin McGuinness, who is now deputy First Minister of the regional government of Northern Ireland.

The court heard that Stone plotted to kill the two men when he attempted to storm the Stormont parliament building in Belfast on the day McGuinness was designated deputy First Minister during a session of the regional parliament, the Northern Ireland Assembly.

The plan, while causing utter confusion, failed as Stone was overcome and detained by security staff.

As well as the attempted murder charges, Stone is charged with possessing home-made explosives, an imitation gun, a garrotte, three knives and an axe.

He denies the charges claiming his attack was an act of "performance art."

According to prosecutor Charles Adair, Stone told police after his arrest: "My intention was to walk into the debating chamber and look for where Adams, McGuinness and Sinn Fein were sitting.

"I would have lobbed several nail bombs to cause confusion. I planned to stab Adams and McGuinness and cut their throats."

Stone would use "close-quarter tactics" to slit the throats of Adams and McGuinness, Adair said.

"I see Adams and McGuinness as republican war criminals. Adams and McGuinness don't deserve to be in a devolved Government. It would be a bastardisation of democracy," Stone told police, according to the prosecutor.

Stone could "not handle" the prospect of Sinn Fein, the pro-Irish nationalists, sharing power with Protestants in Northern Ireland, the court heard.

Stone, a long-time member of the notorious Ulster Defence Association (UDA), was released from jail in 2000 under the provisions of the 1998 Northern Ireland Peace Agreement.

He gained notoriety in 1988 when he launched a gun and grenade attack on the funeral at Milltown Cemetery in west Belfast of three members of the Irish Republican Army
(IRA), killing three mourners and injuring at least 50 among the 10,000-strong funeral crowd.

Following his arrest after the 2006 incident, Stone was returned to prison to serve out the balance of his life sentence for the 1988 triple murder.

The case over the Stormont attack was adjourned until next week. (dpa)