Mr Justice Deeney told the Belfast Crown Court trial on Thursday he wanted to consider all the evidence and submissions as well as study the various exhibits again before returning a verdict.

It brings to a close the three-week trial where 53-year-old Stone has been defended by two different legal teams.

Stone denies attempting to murder Sinn Fein MLAs Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness as well as 12 other charges of possessing nail and pipe bombs with intent to endanger life, possessing three knives, an axe and a garotte, and having an imitation firearm with intent to commit an offence on November 24 2006.

Making his closing speech for the prosecution, Gary McCrudden argued that before the events of November 24, 2006, when Stone tried to storm Parliament Buildings at Stormont, he had built various bombs, "equipped himself with deadly weapons" and launched the attack "as part of a pre-planned mission with the intention of murdering" Mr Adams and Mr McGuinness.

While giving evidence on his own behalf, Stone claimed the whole incident was performance art.