Arrests made in David Black murder hunt
Two men have been arrested for the killing of a long-serving prison officer in Northern Ireland.
Two men have been arrested for the killing of a long-serving prison officer in Northern Ireland.
David Black, a 52-year-old Orange Order member, was shot on November 1 while driving down the M1 motorway between Lurgan and Portadown in County Armagh. Colin Duffy, 44, and a known dissident Republican, and a 31-year-old man were arrested today.
Mr Black became the 30th prison officer murdered in the province since 1974, but the first in more than 20 years, raising tensions among prison and security staff. David Ford, the Northern Irish Justice Minister, confirmed some prison officers had been moved from their homes after intelligence reports that dissident groups were targeting them for assassination.
Finlay Spratt, head of the Prison Officers` Association of Northern Ireland, criticised the government for changing security arrangements for prison officers in Northern Ireland.
He said: “They have stripped away all the security around prison officers. They treat us now as if we live in normal society.
Mr Spratts warning was echoed by Terry Spence, chairman of the Police Federation of Northern Ireland (PFNI), who reiterated the need for officers to maintain awareness about the continuing threat.
The murder was a callous and cowardly attack on a public servant working on behalf of the community, he said.
Prison officers and police officers alike are aware of the deadly threat from dissident terrorists who won`t face up to the fact that Northern Ireland has moved on and will not go back to its awful past.
We must all be totally vigilant about our personal safety. At this particular time the thoughts of my members are with his family.
British and Irish politicians condemned the murder and said violence from dissident groups would not derail the peace process. Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers slammed the attack as cowardly and evil, while Taoiseach Enda Kenny called them deeply disturbing.
Prime Minister David Cameron said: “These killers will not succeed in denying the people of Northern Ireland the peaceful, shared future they so desperately want.”