A former soldier who underwent a sex change has been jailed for six years for her part in a conspiracy to blackmail an animal testing company through a campaign of terror which involved the use of improvised explosive devices and the desecration of graves.

Five animal rights activists who intimidated companies linked to Huntingdon Life Sciences in Britain an attempt to close down the animal-testing lab were sentenced to between six years and 15 months in prison today.

IRISH shareholders of GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), who received a letter from an animal rights group demanding they sell their shares, have been advised to report the matter to the gardaí.