BOMB CHAOS AT THE HILTON Terrorist killer sparks 2.30am evacuation of luxury hotel ====================================== LOYALIST murderer Michael Stone said sorry last night for bringing bomb-scare mayhem to the Glasgow Hilton. The notorious terrorist's visit to watch the Old Firm game sparked a coded bomb warning early yesterday to the luxury hotel where he had a pounds 390 suite. More than 400 half-dressed guests had to flee into bitterly cold streets at 2.30am. The alert lasted seven hours. Speaking exclusively to the Daily Record, Stone said: "If I was the reason for the scare I'd like to apologise to the guests because a lot of people were frightened. "If I'd thought my presence would have caused an incident I wouldn't have come. I seem to rub up some people the wrong way." Police took the bomb threat very seriously and Army experts searched every inch of the high-rise building before the all-clear at 10am. Officers were later treating the call as a hoax. Stone, 45, murdered three people when he attacked an IRA cemetery during a funeral in 1998. He seldom leaves home without a bullet-proof vest in case of revenge attacks. A leading figure in the Ulster Freedom Fighters, he has also been blamed for at least three other sectarian killings. He said the bomb alert "felt a bit like back home during the war years" and added: "We've had this for 25 years so it was no big deal. "There were several death threats against us rung through to the hotel. "I'd been looking forward to the match but I had to watch it in my room drinking lemonade. I'm disappointed because I missed the atmosphere but it was a good result. "Going to a match for me is like taking part in a military operation. Everything needs to be organised." Stone joked that new Rangers striker Tore Andre Flo might have been to blame for the hoax because he stayed at the Hilton last week. He said: "The Celtic fans must have been frightened Flo was going to do the business, which he did." Stone, a hero to many extreme Loyalists, came to Glasgow from Belfast with a 60-strong entourage to watch the game and meet supporters in Scotland. With him was friend and pub owner James Gray, who provided his security. The killer toured a number of groups and picked up a series of awards, as well as visiting Loyalists who helped his family over the 12 years he was a prisoner in the Maze. Stone also visited relatives he had not seen in 20 years. He insists he is no longer active in terrorism, saying: "The war's over and I want to put it behind me." Stone added: "Glasgow's beautiful and the hospitality's amazing. I could be back in the very near future."
