> > Terrorist Alert At Ibrox > ================ > Kate Foster > > ONE of Northern Ireland's most notorious terrorists > threatened to spread trouble > to Scotland yesterday by heightening sectarian > tensions with an appearance at the > Old Firm game at Ibrox. > > Police officers feared Loyalist killer Michael Stone > had travelled to Scotland to > attend the emotionally charged fixture but were > relieved when he could not be seen > in the stadium. > > His presence in the Glasgow area prompted warnings > in the media about the > possibility of violence between fans of the rival > clubs. Stone, who killed three > people during an IRA funeral, was caught in an early > morning bomb scare hoax at > the hotel in which he was staying just hours before > he was due to attend the > match. > > The 45-year-old, who spent 12 years in the Maze > jail, was travelling with friend > and pubowner James Gray who was providing his > security. > > He travelled with around 200 other Rangers fans from > east Belfast but at the last > minute pulled out of joining the crowd at Ibrox to > witness his team beat Celtic > 5-1. Police sources said they could not be sure > whether Stone attended the match > but expressed their relief that, if he was there, he > stayed out of sight to avoid > antagonising the Celtic supporters. > > Stone declined to comment on his visit to Scotland > but a minder said he was in > Glasgow to thank Loyalist groups for their support. > > He said: "Michael is here for the football and for > some time away to relax. He has > friends here, a lot of people who supported the > prisoners. There is nothing > inflammatory about his visit. He wants it to be kept > as quiet as possible." > > However, the killer's intention to attend the match > provoked anger from > anti-sectarian group Nil By Mouth. > > Carla Henderson set up the organisation after her > boyfriend, 16-year-old Mark > Scott, a Celtic fan, was murdered by Rangers > supporter Jason Campbell in 1995. She > attended yesterday's match and said reports that > Stone would be attending had > spread throughout the crowd. She said: "Stone had > the right to be there but I > would question his motive for coming to Glasgow. > This kind of thing does nothing > to help dispel sectarian associations." > > Stone was evacuated from Glasgow's Hilton hotel , > along with his security and 400 > guests, after staff received a telephone bomb > threat. The call was made around > 2:30am and police and bomb disposal experts sealed > off the area. No device was > found. >
