Three jailed for sugar bomb mix

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Three men caught with 110kg of bomb-making material have each been jailed for nine years.

Belfast Crown Court heard police found a fertiliser and icing-sugar mix in raids at two sheds in Lurgan in 2006.

"That constitutes a powerful explosive substance that's been extensively used in NI in a variety of devices since 1991," a prosecuting QC said.

The three pleaded guilty to having explosives with intent to enable others to cause serious damage to property.

Neighbours Daire McKenna, Colin Avery and Stephen Coleman, of Lurgan Tarry, had originally been charged with possessing explosives with intent to endanger life.

Jailing the men, the judge said the operation was clearly on a "considerable scale".

He said given the powerful nature of the explosive substance, "there's little doubt that this amount would have had to capacity to cause considerable damage".

The judge said that although the men had pleaded guilty to a lesser charge, "their role in providing others with such a product still remains a serious offence for which condign periods of imprisonment will be imposed".

He said a reduction in terrorist violence in recent times did not equate to a reduction in jail terms for terrorist offences.

There is still an argument "for deterrent factors addressed to others in such organisations that should they choose to pursue these particular activities, then they will be met by lengthy periods of imprisonment," he said.