A man has been charged with a number of offences in connection with a security alert in Belfast that resulted in the removal of Ireland’s Foreign Affairs Minister from a peace event.
Last Friday, Simon Coveney was escorted out of a John and Pat Hume Foundation event in north Belfast.
According to police, two gunmen threatened the driver of a van and forced them to drive a device to the church that he thought was a live bomb.
A 40-year-old man has been accused with planning terrorist activities, hijacking, and planting an article that caused a bomb hoax.
On Thursday, he will appear in Belfast’s Laganside Magistrates’ Court.
A 48-year-old woman was also detained as part of the investigation but has since been released.
At the weekend, the PSNI Serious Crime Branch conducted searches in the Ballysillan and Springmartin areas of north and west Belfast.
A firearm, two vehicles, a large amount of controlled drugs, and a large sum of money were seized.
Politicians from all parties condemned the event on Friday.
It was described as “reprehensible” by Secretary of State Brandon Lewis.
