Alert as bullets in parcels sent to Celtic boss intercepted

• Despite the incident, Neil Lennon took charge of his Celtic side in Berwick yesterday. Picture: SNS

A second package containing ammunition was also posted to Celtic player Niall McGinn.

It is believed the packages addressed to the two men were posted in Northern Ireland.

They were intercepted by staff at the Royal Mail sorting office in Mallusk, County Antrim last Wednesday. The mail was addressed to Celtic Football Club in Glasgow.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland confirmed the items had been removed for examination. Police were called to the sorting office after postal staff raised concerns about the two packages. A spokesman for Celtic said: "It is now a police matter and the club has no further comment to make."

Police are investigating the incident and have asked anyone with information to come forward.

Lennon, the former Celtic captain and Northern Ireland international, has received death threats in the past. In 2002 he stated he would never play for Northern Ireland again after he withdrew from an international friendly following a threat on his life.

Lennon was due to lead the team out against Cyprus at Windsor Park, but he was advised to pull out of the game by police after the BBC received a death threat against him.

The death threat is believed to have been made against Lennon as he is a Catholic and plays for Glasgow Celtic.

At the time Mr Lennon said: "I am very disappointed that my desire to play for my country, on my first opportunity to captain my team, has been taken away from me. I've thought long and hard about it, but I probably won't being coming back to play for Northern Ireland. I have come to the conclusion that is the best for everybody."

Lennon has suffered sectarian abuse at international matches before and in 2001 threatening messages were daubed on a wall near his family home in Lurgan just before Northern Ireland's European qualifier against Norway.

In 2008, he was treated in hospital after being assaulted in Glasgow's west end following his side's defeat to Old Firm rivals Rangers. Two men were jailed for the attack which was described as "vicious, brutal and cowardly".

Northern Ireland international McGinn transferred from Derry City to Celtic in 2009 for a fee of around 200,000 on a three-and-a-half year contract.

Unphased by the incident, Lennon watched Celtic celebrate a 2-0 victory over Berwick Rangers in the Scottish Cup.