Scottish Police have launched an investigation after five Catholic priests received death threats, it emerged today. Detectives from Fife Constabulary, Lothian and Borders and Central Scotland
Police have joined forces to co-ordinate the probe.
All of the priests involved run parishes in the St Andrews and Edinburgh archdiocese.
It is understood that the five priests met this week at a Holy Week service, at which time they all realised that each of them had received similar threats. Two of the letters were sent to priests in St Andrews and Cowdenbeath, Fife, in the past week, while another was sent to another priest in the Falkirk area.
Inspector Graham Wallace of Fife Constabulary said it appeared the letters had been sent by one person. He said: "There is nothing to suggest it's a group of people or a sect that is involved.
"We're following up lines of inquiry at the minute and liaising with the other forces involved with a view to determining whether all the letters are from the same source."
Detective Chief Inspector Robbie McGregor, of Central Scotland Police, said: "We can confirm that a complaint was received on April 7 from a resident in the Falkirk area and that the incident is being investigated."
PA