Four men charged after improvised rocket launcher seized

Four men have been charged with a series of dissident republican terrorist offences after police seized an improvised rocket launcher loaded with a Semtex projectile in Northern Ireland.

One of the accused, aged 22, has been charged with the attempted murder of police officers and possession of explosives with intent to endanger life in Lurgan, Co Armagh, on August 31.

The other three, aged 22, 24 and 46, have been charged with preparation of terrorist acts, namely the targeting of a former member of the security forces in the nearby Craigavon area.

The men were arrested last week as officers recovered a fully prepared explosively formed projectile (EFP) that was ready for deployment.

Police said the EFP, which has since been made safe, was an improvised explosive device designed to penetrate armour plating when fired at relatively close range from a makeshift launcher.

All four accused will appear at Craigavon Magistrates' Court on Tuesday.