A COUNCILLOR targeted by a poisoning plot has spoken of his relief after a man was convicted of sending him caustic soda in a vodka bottle.

Councillor John Wright also said that he would not allow Wayne Cook's actions to prevent him from doing his job for Blackburn with Darwen Council.

Cook, 45, from Tyldesley, was found guilty of being involved in a plot to send poisoned vodka bottles through the post as part of a campaign for Scottish independence.

He and Steven Kerr Robinson, 42, sent two miniature bottles of vodka filled with lethal concentrations of caustic soda in April 2007 as part of a campaign by the Scottish National Liberation Army to force the UK Government out of Scotland.

The packages were sent to Coun Wright and a Scottish journalist, Myra Philp.

Speaking after the verdict, Coun Wright, who represents Corporation Park, said: "This whole episode has been a very harrowing experience for myself and also traumatic for my family."

Coun Wright paid tribute to staff at the Blackburn sorting office who intercepted the package, and thanked his family and friends for their support.

He added: "I have every intention of continuing as a ward councillor in Blackburn with Darwen and will not let these fanatics stop my work in the community.

"There is no place for extremists in our society and those who seek to cause division through fear cannot be allowed to succeed."

Cook, an unemployed father of three, was found guilty under anti-terror laws of two counts of using noxious substances or things to cause harm and intimidate.

Wearing a black jacket, blue T-shirt and rectangular glasses, he stood impassively in the dock as the verdicts on both counts were read out.

Robinson, a Scot, also from Tyldesley, pleaded guilty to the charges at an earlier hearing.

During the trial, Cook admitted typing the address labels on the packages but said he did not know the contents were harmful.

He also said he refused Robinson's request for him to post the parcels when he became suspicious that something "dodgy" was going on.

But he did not call police, and went on the run when he learned that the packages had been intercepted and were being investigated.

The bottles had been made to look as though they were sealed and each package had a note attached.

The note to Coun Wright read: "Congrat-ulations on a Labour victory. Have a drink on me, Tom."

Detective Chief Superintendent Tony Porter, head of Greater Manchester Police's Counter Terrorism Unit, said: "Be in no doubt these men are terrorists.

"This was not some clumsy joke - it was a serious attempt to cause real harm and intimidation.

"Robinson and Cook's actions would have caused serious injury to anyone who came into contact with the chemical.

"Had anyone drunk the contents they would, in all likelihood, have died."

The case was adjourned for sente-ncing today.