The following section is substituted for section 15 of the Principal Act:

"15. Possession of firearms with intent to endanger life.

(1) Any person who possesses or controls any firearm or ammunition -

(a) with intent to endanger life or cause serious injury to property, or

(b) with intent to enable any other person by means of the firearm or ammunition to endanger life or cause serious injury to property,

shall, whether any injury to person or property has or has not been caused thereby, be guilty of an offence.

(2) A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable on conviction on indictment -

(a) to imprisonment for life or such shorter term as the court may determine, subject to subsections (4) to (6) of this section or, where subsection (8) of this section applies, to that subsection, and

(b) at the court’s discretion, to a fine of such amount as the court considers appropriate,

and the firearm or ammunition concerned shall be forfeited.

(3) The court, in imposing sentence on a person for an offence under this section, may, in particular, have regard to whether the person has a previous conviction for an offence under the Firearms Acts 1925 to 2006, the Offences against the State Acts 1939 to 1998 or the Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) Act 2005.