Bombs Being Mailed to Celtic Manager and Supporters?

taconinja

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<a class="postlink" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-13129139" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-g ... t-13129139</a>

Insane. Absolutely insane.

Parcel bombs sent to Neil Lennon, McBride and Godman
By James Cook Scotland Correspondent, BBC News

Neil Lennon (L), Trish Godman and Paul McBride QC Devices intended to "kill or maim" were sent to Neil Lennon (L), Trish Godman and Paul McBride QC


"Viable" parcel bombs have been sent to Celtic manager Neil Lennon and two high-profile fans of the Glasgow club, sources have told the BBC.

Sources said the liquid-based devices, sent in the past month, appear to have been intended to "kill or maim".

Mr Lennon's lawyer, Paul McBride QC, and former deputy presiding officer of the Scottish Parliament, Trish Godman, were the other two people targeted.

The devices were found at various locations in the west of Scotland.

Sources close to the investigation indicated they were rudimentary and did not appear to have been made by someone with paramilitary training in bomb-making.

Alex Salmond: "All people, particularly those who love football, will unite to condemn such action"

Earlier this week, media organisations, including the BBC, had agreed to a police request not to broadcast details of the bomb incidents while officers carried out inquires.

Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond said: "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.

"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."

The first suspect package was intercepted by the Royal Mail in Kirkintilloch, East Dunbartonshire, on 26 March and was addressed to Mr Lennon at Celtic's training ground in nearby Lennoxtown.

Two days later a device was delivered to Labour politician Ms Godman's constituency office in Bridge of Weir, Renfrewshire. Her staff were suspicious of the package and contacted Strathclyde Police.

Detectives initially treated the two parcels as "elaborate hoaxes" designed to cause distress rather than serious injury but further analysis has led to them being reclassified as "viable explosive devices".

The third package was addressed to Mr McBride at the Faculty of Advocates in Edinburgh.

It is believed to have been posted in Ayrshire before being found in a letter box by a postal worker on Friday and taken to a Royal Mail sorting office in Kilwinning, where police were contacted.
Explosive device

Detectives are also investigating another package addressed to Neil Lennon which was found at a sorting office in Saltcoats, North Ayrshire, on 4 March but this has not been confirmed as an explosive device.

It is understood that specialist anti-terrorist officers are involved in the investigation but a source close to the inquiry said they were "not linking this to any terrorist organisation".

“This now is terrorism, purely and simply. It's got nothing to do with football and the background of the summit and the Old Firm game etc”

Henry McDonald, Ireland correspondent for the Guardian newspaper, said that made sense. "I think in terms of the main loyalist terror organisations that are now on ceasefire and say they've decommissioned, I think they'd be frankly embarrassed by this kind of thing," he said.

"They would regard it as a thing of the past and rather as an irritant and an embarrassment to loyalism so I suspect it's an individual or individuals who maybe had bomb-making experience in the past who are disgruntled and looking for hate figures."

For the past decade Neil Lennon has been such a figure.

The 39-year-old Catholic from Lurgan, County Armagh, has endured threats, abuse and violence.

He stopped playing international football for Northern Ireland in 2002 after a death threat, said to be from loyalist paramilitaries.

Lennon has also been the victim of a street attack in Glasgow and several other death threats since joining Celtic in 2000.

In January this year bullets addressed to the Celtic manager were intercepted at a sorting office in Glasgow. They appeared to have been sent from an address in Northern Ireland.
Media coverage

The BBC has been told that the three individuals appear to have been targeted after they featured, on separate occasions, in media coverage.

Mr McBride is one of the highest-profile QCs in Scotland and a well-known Celtic fan.

He has acted for the club and Mr Lennon on several occasions during disputes with the Scottish Football Association (SFA).

The advocate has also been highly critical of the SFA in its dealings with Mr Lennon and Celtic.
Rangers and Celtic fans The Scottish Cup replay between Celtic and Rangers in March was ill-tempered

Ms Godman has a lower public profile than Mr Lennon or Mr McBride but is well known in political circles as an avid Celtic fan.

Until dissolution of the Scottish Parliament last month, she was deputy presiding officer and the Labour MSP for West Renfrewshire.

On her last day as an MSP she was pictured in the Holyrood chamber wearing a Celtic football top.

Rangers and Celtic meet for the final time this season at Ibrox this weekend in a match which could prove crucial in deciding the Scottish Premier League title.

It is understood that senior police officers are concerned about a potential rise in tension ahead of the game on Easter Sunday.

The rivalry between the two Glasgow clubs - known collectively as the Old Firm - is historically tied up in religion.

Celtic were formed in 1888 by Irish Catholic immigrants to raise funds to alleviate poverty in the city's East End.

To this day, most Celtic fans come from a Catholic background, while the majority of Rangers fans are Protestants.
Controversial match

Last month an ill-tempered Scottish Cup clash between the two sides led to political intervention.

The match saw three red cards, several touch-line and tunnel confrontations and 34 arrests inside Celtic Park and 187 outside.

After the final whistle, Mr Lennon and Rangers assistant manager Ally McCoist were involved in a confrontation.

Strathclyde Police requested a Scottish government-led summit after describing scenes at the game, which Celtic won 1-0, as "shameful".

Both clubs subsequently agreed to an action plan to tackle Old Firm-related disorder.

The fallout from the controversial match continued, however, when the Celtic manager subsequently received a ban for his actions.

McCoist had an initial two-match ban overturned, while two of his players, El-Hadji Diouf and Madjid Bougherra, were fined over their actions after the sendings off.

This prompted highly-critical comments from Mr McBride towards the SFA.

The advocate accused the organisation of being "dysfunctional", "dishonest" and "biased".

In response the governing body described the QC's remarks as "wild" and "inaccurate" and threatened to sue for defamation.

The BBC understands there have since been moves by both sides to resolve the matter out of court.

Apologies if this has already been discussed. I didn't see anything about it.
 
Neil Lennon.

What has Lennon done over the years to piss off people so much that there has been death threats made to him and his family. Leading up to the Old Firm match this weekend and low and behold today there was a Parcel bomb sent to him and another one sent to his lawyer. He seems a decent bloke as well. I cant see why these scumbags keep this shit up you would think the police would be able to find these people and sort the minority out and lock the bastards up. It should be about football and nothing else.
 
heard on the radio scotland fans saying the hatred in the scotland is now becoming as bad as NI. fears of it turning into a larger ulster.

anyways, whoever done this deserves to be executed with the same bomb he sent.
 
Re: Neil Lennon.

I think it stems from when he ALLEGEDLY said he wanted to play for a team that represents a United Ireland and some 'people' didn't like it. He comes from the same town as me lol
 
Re: Neil Lennon.

from the NI football point of view i have to say that alot of NI fans were disappointed when he retired. it was a shame a minute minority ruined it for the team cause he was a useful player.

as for the celtic thing, no matter who celtic have in charge there are people out there who are going to hate him. but the recent bomb thing is a disgrace and hopefully when the police catch these knobs they should just throw them in jail and let them rot.
 
it's absolutely disgusting.

I can only imagine the pain his family go through every night knowing they might be woke up and taken to a safe-house because scumbags are trying to murder their dad/husband.

It shows how much he loves Celtic that after multiple "suspicious" packages, bullets in the post , death threats and being beaten to a pulp in the street he continues to carry on.

I just hope they catch whoever is doing this as quick as they can.
 
Is this football or religion,fukn hell what's going on.
The Police,authorities and everybody under the sun are asking for calm & respect at Old Firm games,from fans and players.
Then we get this kind of shit.
It's not the 1st time Lennon has had this either.
Why has no-one been traced yet.
 
TTTCITYBHOY said:
Is this football or religion,fukn hell what's going on.
The Police,authorities and everybody under the sun are asking for calm & respect at Old Firm games,from fans and players.
Then we get this kind of shit.
It's not the 1st time Lennon has had this either.
Why has no-one been traced yet.


I know, and that was just from his family at xmas!
 
Re: Neil Lennon.

Well if it is about a United Ireland team if you were to ask all of the players from both teams the same question if they would like to play for a United Ireland team I would expect the majority to say yes. Look at every other sport teams from Ireland it is a United Ireland team be it rugby , cricket , athletics , swimming and boxing they all play for a United Ireland. I wouldnt mind seeing it come into football but I know it wont happen but saying that a lot of NIreland players are deciding to declare for RIreland instead.

Mods any chance getting this merged with the other Lennon tread.
 

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