AN Englishman sent poisonous parcels to a Blackburn councillor as part of a terrorist plot to force the British Government out of Scotland, a court heard today.

Wayne Cook, 45, also threatened to kill English people "with no hesitation or compunction" by poisoning the country's water supply, Manchester Crown Court was told.

Cook, of Tyldesley, Greater Manchester, is charged with two counts of using noxious substances or things to cause harm and intimidate, under the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001.

The unemployed father of three is accused of sending miniature bottles of vodka filled with caustic soda to Blackburn with Darwen councillor John Wright and Scottish journalist Myra Philp on April 25, 2007.

The actions were said to be part of a campaign by the Scottish National Liberation Army (SNLA).

Paul Taylor, prosecuting, told the court that the caustic soda was suff-iciently concentrated that it could have killed the recipients if they had drunk it.

The bottle sent to Coun Wright was intercepted by sorting office staff who became suspicious of the package.

Mr Taylor said: "The prompt action and intelligence of the Royal Mail staff in identifying the suspicious package averted a potential tragedy because the concentration of caustic soda in the Vladivar bottle was enough to kill."

The second package, to Ms Philp, was accompanied by a letter which read: "Dear Myra. Exclusive. This bottle is full of lethal caustic soda. Any chemist will immediately confirm this by a simple test.

"A very large number of similarly poisoned items have just been sent to political figures all over England. An example is Councillor John Wright who will be getting his at the town hall, King William Street, Blackburn. Perhaps you might warn him?

"Pity you cannot warn the other targets individually, but we want to demonstrate our intent to kill English people at random and with no discrimination or compunction.

"This is necessary to convince the British Government that we will lethally poison England's water supplies, if they do not withdraw totally from Scotland."

It was signed "SNLA" - standing for Scottish National Liberation Army.

"As well as posing a danger to Mr Wright and Ms Philp, the miniature bottles could easily have been damaged in transit and anyone whose skin came into contact with the liquid, the caustic soda, could have been burned, perhaps even disfigured."

The bottle sent to Coun Wright, who had recently won an election, was accompanied by a note which read: "Dear John, congratulations on a Labour victory. Have a drink on me, Tom."

(Proceeding)