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Two men arrested over Northern Ireland prison officer murder Two men arrested over Northern Ireland prison officer murder
(about 3 hours later)
Two men have been arrested in connection with the murder of the Northern Ireland prison officer David Black.Two men have been arrested in connection with the murder of the Northern Ireland prison officer David Black.
The arrested men, aged 31 and 44, were detained in the Lurgan area in north Armagh early on Friday. The arrested men, aged 31 and 44, were detained in the Lurgan area in north Armagh early on Friday. The 44-year-old is understood to be the dissident republican Colin Duffy, who was acquitted by a judge in Belfast earlier this year of the murders of two soldiers outside Massereene military barracks in Antrim in March 2009.
Gunmen travelling in a stolen car fired upon the 52-year-old's Audi car on the M1 motorway near a junction leading to Portadown as he was on his way to work at Maghaberry top security prison.Gunmen travelling in a stolen car fired upon the 52-year-old's Audi car on the M1 motorway near a junction leading to Portadown as he was on his way to work at Maghaberry top security prison.
The father of two was the first prison officer to die at the hands of paramilitaries since 1993 and his death has sparked fears of retaliation. In a statement to the House of Commons on Friday, the Northern Ireland secretary, Theresa Villiers, expressed her "profound sympathies" for the family and friends of the victim and praised the "untiring efforts" of police on both sides of the border.
"This attack has demonstrated the gravity of the threat that dissident groups continue to pose," she said, adding that the government "will continue to do everything in our power to ensure that the terrorists do not succeed".
She said that people from both communities in Northern Ireland were determined "there will be no return to the dark days of the past".
"Their response to this horrific crime has been clear, united and resolute," she said.
Black, a father of two, was the first prison officer to die at the hands of paramilitaries since 1993 and his death has sparked fears of retaliation.
However, his family appealed for no more violence in a statement issued through a clergyman in Cookstown, Co Tyrone, where the Black family live.However, his family appealed for no more violence in a statement issued through a clergyman in Cookstown, Co Tyrone, where the Black family live.
Irish ministers and their counterparts in Northern Ireland are to discuss a response to the murder on Friday. The killing of David Black will be top of the agenda at the north-south ministerial council in Armagh, which is only a few miles from the scene of Thursday's terror attack by republican dissidents. Irish ministers and their counterparts in Northern Ireland are to discuss a response to the murder on Friday. The killing of Black will be top of the agenda at the north-south ministerial council in Armagh, which is only a few miles from the scene of Thursday's terror attack by republican dissidents.
Finlay Spratt of the Prison Officers Association (POA) in the province said his members had stepped up their personal security over the past six months because of a heightened threat from dissident republicans.Finlay Spratt of the Prison Officers Association (POA) in the province said his members had stepped up their personal security over the past six months because of a heightened threat from dissident republicans.
He also denied that the POA had claimed individual officers had been told they would lose access to personal protection weapons.He also denied that the POA had claimed individual officers had been told they would lose access to personal protection weapons.
In a message to the politicians gathering on Friday, Spratt added: "All I can say to the politicians is keep on working together … we should not let these dissidents disrupt Northern Ireland moving forward."In a message to the politicians gathering on Friday, Spratt added: "All I can say to the politicians is keep on working together … we should not let these dissidents disrupt Northern Ireland moving forward."
The head of the Northern Ireland Prison Service, Sue McAllister, also had to fend off allegations on a television station on Thursday night that personal protection weapons for prison officers were being taken away from them.The head of the Northern Ireland Prison Service, Sue McAllister, also had to fend off allegations on a television station on Thursday night that personal protection weapons for prison officers were being taken away from them.
"I have checked and to my knowledge no prison officer has been told that his or her personal protection weapon is to be withdrawn," she said."I have checked and to my knowledge no prison officer has been told that his or her personal protection weapon is to be withdrawn," she said.
"I will certainly be making sure that any prison officer who wishes to have a personal protection weapon will be able to apply to the police service as per our procedures.""I will certainly be making sure that any prison officer who wishes to have a personal protection weapon will be able to apply to the police service as per our procedures."