Three parcel bombs were posted to Celtic manager Neil Lennon, Labour politician Trish Godman and lawyer Paul McBride QC, police have disclosed
The first parcel bomb, addressed to Lennon, was found on March 26 at the Royal Mail sorting office in Kirkintilloch, East Dunbartonshire.
A few days later, a second bomb, sent to Trish Godman was discovered at her constituency office on March 28.
Celtic boss Neil Lennon and Rangers’ Ally McCoist in row
A third bomb, addressed to lawyer Paul McBride, who represented Lennon during his dispute with the SFA, was also intercepted en-route.
A police source said: “They were viable devices designed to cause harm. We are treating the matter very seriously.”
The parcel bombs are the latest in a series of events in which people associated with the Celtic Football Club are being targeted.
Last week packages containing bullets were sent to Lennon and his fellow Celtic players Paddy McCourt and Niall McGinn.
All three are from Northern Ireland.
Scottish politician, SNP leader and First Minister Alex Salmond has publicly condemned the recent events.
“Let us be quite clear – there is a major police investigation under way to ensure that the individual or individuals concerned are identified and apprehended, and then brought to book with the full force of the law,” he said.
“We will not tolerate this sort of criminality in Scotland, and as an indication of the seriousness with which we view these developments the Cabinet sub-committee met last Saturday to ensure that the police investigation has every possible support to come to a successful conclusion. We are confident that this will be the case.”
Salmond also said it was important for the community to stand together, and condemn those responsible.
“These disgraceful events should remind all of us who love the game of football of what unites us as a community. It is time to remember what we value in society, and unite to condemn those who use football as a pretext for their pathetic and dangerous prejudices.”
On Tuesday a Facebook page called ‘Let’s get 100,000 people that want to see Neil Lennon get shot’, including several death threats against Neil Lennon, was taken down.
SDLP Councillor Niall Kelly said the page contained “sick” and “offensive, sectarian comments”.
Although Facebook said they couldn’t comment on individual cases they could confirm that the page had been removed on Tuesday morning after consultation.
Neil Lennon, who used to play for the national Northern Ireland football team, withdrew from a game for Northern Ireland in 2002 after receiving death threats.
