Five men have been jailed over the theft of 40 anti-tank mines from a Ministry of Defence freight train.
The mines were stolen when a goods train stopped at a red light just outside Warrington in October, Liverpool Crown Court heard.
The court was told the gang could have sold the mines, which each contained more than 8kg (17lb) of explosives, to terrorists or serious criminals.
A sixth member of the gang is yet to be sentenced.
The theft of the anti-tank mines led to a major investigation by anti-terror police and the army.
The court heard the thieves intended target had been a nearby Asda depot, and the theft of the mines was "opportunistic".
The prosecution said the gang had cut up the explosives with a saw, causing considerable risk to public safety.
They intended to sell the mines for profit, but the court heard from the defence for one of them that there was "an atmosphere of panic" when they realised what they had.
Most of the mines were recovered from undergrowth near the railway but others were found in woods in Wirral and one was found in a garage in a built-up area in Birkenhead.
The freight train was on its way from a munitions store in Cumbria to Oxfordshire. The mines were then due to be sent overseas.
The court heard the mines can be used to blow up enemy compounds in Afghanistan.
