Parcel bomb sent to Celtic boss Neil Lennon

A parcel bomb sent to the Celtic manager Neil Lennon has been intercepted by police and the Royal Mail.

The device, described as "viable" and "designed to cause harm", was one of three sent to people linked to the Glasgow-based football club.

Police said bombs were also sent to Paul McBride QC, Mr Lennon's lawyer, and Labour MSP Trish Godman. The bomb sent to Mr Lennon was addressed to Celtic's training ground near Glasgow and was intercepted at a Royal Mail sorting office in Kirkintilloch on 26 March.

A second device was delivered to the constituency office of West Renfrewshire MSP Ms Godman two days later, but police were alerted. The authorities were contacted about the third package on Friday after it was found in a letter box addressed to Mr McBride at law offices in Edinburgh. The first two were initially thought to be merely hoaxes, but analysis later found that they were capable of causing harm.

Mr Lennon, a 39-year-old Catholic, from Lurgan, Co Armagh, stopped playing for Northern Ireland in 2002 after receiving a death threat, one of several since he joined Celtic as a player in 2000. In January, a package containing bullets addressed to him was intercepted.

SNP leader and First Minister Alex Salmond said: "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."