Live bullet sent to council head

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A live bullet has been sent in the post to the chief executive of Craigavon Borough Council.

Francis Rock was just back from holiday when a colleague found the item in mail which was delivered to the council's headquarters on Monday.

A note accompanying the bullet demanded that the council drops its plans to reorganise staff in its departments.

The leaders of all parties on the council have condemned the threat.

Ken Twyble, the Ulstern Unionist mayor of Craigavon, said they were doing what they could to support Mr Rock.

"We are certainly asking for an investigation into the whole thing," Mr Twyble said.

"We have every reason to believe that the chief executive has the support of all the parties on the council and we are just at a loss to know where the origins of this could have come from."

'Attack on democracy'

The SDLP's Dolores Kelly said there must be a high-level investigation into the threat.

"The first point is that this is an attack on democracy, because officers do not make decisions on their own behalf, but carry out decisions made by us, the elected representatives.

"This threat must be withdrawn, and every shade of political opinion must demand its withdrawal," she said.

Sinn Fein councillor Michael Tallon also condemned it.

"I would urge all councillors within the borough to join together and demand that this threat against the most senior council officer is liftedimmediately," he said.

"The chief executive must be allowed to continue with his work without such sinister interventions being directed against him and his family".