Eight men in court in connection with arms seizure

Eight men are expected in court today charged with terrorist offences in the North.

The appearance follows a major police operation on a loyalist housing estate on the outskirts of North Belfast at the weekend.

The accused are due before Belfast magistrates court after being questioned since the find on Saturday in Newtownabbey.

Rifles, paramilitary style clothing and Ulster Volunteer Force items were recovered.

The seizures and arrests came just a day after the UVF cut its contacts with the international decommissioning body and claimed that its commitment to the peace process was under strain.