Man, 35, charged after explosives and firearms searches in north Belfast

A 35-year-old man has been charged under the Explosives Act and the Firearms Order, two pieces of law covering explosives and guns, after police searches in north Belfast. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) says he is due to appear before Belfast Magistrates' Court on Monday, 2 November.

According to the PSNI's news release, he faces two counts of possessing explosives under suspicious circumstances. He has also been charged with possession of a prohibited weapon, which police describe as one that discharges electricity or noxious gas. Charges are allegations that a court will consider; they are not findings of guilt.

The charges follow searches at properties on the Shankill Road and in Edwina Street. Police carried out the searches on Friday, 30 October and Saturday, 31 October, as police confirmed on social media.

During the searches, officers located and seized a number of suspicious devices and other items. These have been taken for forensic examination, a scientific analysis of physical evidence.

Residents who were evacuated as a precaution have been allowed to return home. All cordons, the police barriers and restricted areas set up around the properties, have been lifted.