A man accused of conspiring to murder Celtic manager Neil Lennon in a parcel bomb plot told police he did not have any views on sectarianism, a court heard today.
Trevor Muirhead said he has a Catholic father and a Protestant mother and was "brought up to respect everybody's view".
Muirhead also said he would have "great banter" with a Celtic-supporting colleague, and told officers: "Live and let live."
Muirhead, 43, from Kilwinning, and Neil McKenzie, 42, from Saltcoats, both Ayrshire, are alleged to have plotted to kill Lennon, the late Paul McBride QC and former MSP Trish Godman by sending improvised explosive devices to them.
They are also charged with sending similar devices to the premises of Cairde Na Heireann, which means "Friends of Ireland", in Glasgow. Both men deny the charges.
Their trial at the High Court in Glasgow heard that Muirhead was interviewed by police on May 12 last year after being detained.
A recording of the interview, which began shortly after 9am that day, was being played to the jury today.
During the interview at Paisley police office, Muirhead was asked by Detective Constable David Thomson whether he had "any views on sectarianism, or anything like that?".
Muirhead replied: "Me? Naw."
He also denied having views on racism.
Asked whether he had "any extreme views", Muirhead replied: "Live and let live."
He went on: "It's the way I was brought up, I was brought up in a mixed marriage. My father's Roman Catholic and my mother's Protestant so I was brought up in a mixed marriage so I was brought up to respect everybody's view."
The accused told officers he had friends in "most" religions.
"My work colleagues are Catholics and we've got a bet on for the league," he told officers.
"One of the boys is a red hot Celtic fan and me and him, well, we have great banter with one another."
Muirhead also told officers he did not have Asian associates or friends, but insisted: "I don't have a problem with it."
He told officers: "I couldn't care less. They get on with their thing, I get on with mine. That's the way I look at it."
The case continues
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