Murder soldier linked to weapons

Michael Ross was found guilty of Shamsuddin Mahmood's murder

A soldier found guilty of shooting dead a waiter in Orkney in 1994 has been linked with the reported discovery of a cache of guns and ammunition.

Sgt Michael Ross was caught trying to escape from court immediately after being convicted of 26-year-old Shamsuddin Mahmood's murder.

The cache was allegedly found in a car near a supermarket in Glasgow a week after he was found guilty.

Ross, of Inverness, will be sentenced later this month for the murder.

A tabloid newspaper has reported that an arsenal of weapons and ammunitions was found in a supermarket car park in Glasgow last Friday.

Ross, 29, was said to have failed to return a hire car and to have been recognised from television pictures. An Avis employee was then said to have called the police.

Items removed

Strathclyde Police said they were alerted to a suspect vehicle within the Tesco car park at St Rollox at about 1830 BST on Friday 27 June.

To ensure the safety of the public, the car park and store were evacuated and cordoned off.

A full search of the vehicle was carried out and the vehicle and items inside were removed.

A spokesperson said it would be inappropriate to comment further until the results of full forensic examinations were available.

The spokesman said: "Enquiries are ongoing and police are following a positive line of inquiry."

Masked gunman

Ross, a Black Watch sniper, had denied shooting Mr Mahmood.

The jury at the High Court in Glasgow found Ross guilty by a majority after a six-week trial.

As he was being led away, he jumped out of the dock and managed to escape. He was caught by a court official and police.

Mr Mahmood, born in Bangladesh, was shot in the head in Kirkwall's Mumutaz restaurant in full view of a room of diners by a masked gunman in June 1994.

The killing sparked one of Northern Constabulary's biggest investigations.

Ross's father - police officer Eddie Ross, who was called to the scene of the shooting - was later jailed for four years for trying to defeat the ends of justice.

The court heard that Ross had later been praised for his bravery while serving in Iraq.