Two men are to stand trial accused of conspiring to murder Celtic manager Neil Lennon and high-profile supporters of the club.
Trevor Muirhead (43), and Neil McKenzie (41), are accused of plotting to kill Mr Lennon, former MSP Trish Godman, lawyer Paul McBride QC and various people in the premises of Cairde Na hÉireann in Glasgow by sending improvised explosive devices to them.
The pair denied all charges against them when they appeared at Glasgow High Court today. They will stand trial in November.
The men are accused of sending Mr Lennon a package which they allegedly believed comprised an improvised explosive device, capable of igniting and exploding, causing severe injury and death to another person.
It is alleged that the package, sent to Mr Lennon at the Celtic FC training centre at Lennoxtown, held a plastic bottle containing the explosive substance tri-acetone tri-peroxide with a wire attached and a plastic bag containing a bag of nails and a watch component.
They are charged with sending similar devices to Ms Godman at an address in Bridge of Weir and to Cairde Na Heireann in Glasgow.
It is alleged that the package sent to Mr McBride at Advocates’ Library, Parliament House, Edinburgh, comprised a plastic bottle containing petrol, with wire attached, a plastic glove, nails and a watch component.
They are charged with sending the devices with the intention that the contents
would ignite and explode when opened, causing severe injury and death to the
recipients.
It is alleged the offence, which happened between March 1st and April 15th, 2011,
was aggravated by religious prejudice.
It is alleged that the pair bought nails, envelopes, travel bottles and digital
sports watches at two shops in Stevenston, Ayrshire, and induced another man to
buy cream peroxide.
The pair face an alternative charge that they conspired to cause an explosion “likely to endanger life or cause serious injury to property”.
It is alleged they sent packages to Mr Lennon, Ms Godman, Mr McBride and Cairde Na hÉireann intending to cause such an explosion, in breach of the Explosive Substances Act 1883.
The pair also face four further charges, which include possessing the explosive substance tri-acetone tri-peroxide with the intention of endangering life or causing serious injury to property. They are accused of attempting to defeat the ends of justice by disposing of cream peroxide and wiring used to make improvised explosive devices.
It is also alleged that in Kilwinning, Ayrshire, on May 9th the pair threatened to plant and detonate an improvised explosive device outside a police station .
Mr McKenzie, of Saltcoats, Ayrshire, and Mr Muirhead, of Kilwinning, are also charged with sending an item by post to Mr Lennon at Celtic Park on March 3rd or 4th, intending him to think it was likely to “explode or ignite”.
A trial date was set for November 21st. The trial is expected to last three weeks.
PA