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| David Black: murdered prison officer's funeral to take place | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Mourners have begun arriving at a church in County Tyrone for the funeral of murdered prison officer David Black. | |
| The father of two was shot dead on the M1 in County Armagh on Thursday as he drove to work at Maghaberry Prison. | The father of two was shot dead on the M1 in County Armagh on Thursday as he drove to work at Maghaberry Prison. |
| Mr Black, 52, was the first prison officer to be murdered in Northern Ireland in almost 20 years. | Mr Black, 52, was the first prison officer to be murdered in Northern Ireland in almost 20 years. |
| A private service at his family home in Cookstown will be followed by a funeral at 13:00 GMT at Molesworth Presbyterian Church in the town. | A private service at his family home in Cookstown will be followed by a funeral at 13:00 GMT at Molesworth Presbyterian Church in the town. |
| Police sniffer dogs have been searching around the church ahead of the funeral. | Police sniffer dogs have been searching around the church ahead of the funeral. |
| The interment, which is private, will take place at Kildress Parish Church. | The interment, which is private, will take place at Kildress Parish Church. |
| A Sinn Fein source told the BBC that Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness had been very willing to go to Mr Black's family home in Cookstown and to attend the funeral. | A Sinn Fein source told the BBC that Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness had been very willing to go to Mr Black's family home in Cookstown and to attend the funeral. |
| However, he had been told the Black family did not wish to have any Sinn Fein representatives there. | However, he had been told the Black family did not wish to have any Sinn Fein representatives there. |
| The source said the deputy first minister respected the family's wishes. | The source said the deputy first minister respected the family's wishes. |
| Presbyterian moderator Rev Roy Patton will be one of the clergy taking part in the service. | Presbyterian moderator Rev Roy Patton will be one of the clergy taking part in the service. |
| He said it would be a sad and difficult occasion. | He said it would be a sad and difficult occasion. |
| "I think at a time like this we appreciate the inadequacy of words and how difficult it is to express those feelings we have," he said. | "I think at a time like this we appreciate the inadequacy of words and how difficult it is to express those feelings we have," he said. |
| "But at the same time we want to communicate very clearly to the family the depth of feeling. | "But at the same time we want to communicate very clearly to the family the depth of feeling. |
| "I know that as I share in the service today and bring condolences to the family, I will do so on behalf of not only the Presbyterian church, but a wider community united in revulsion and rejection of such an act." | "I know that as I share in the service today and bring condolences to the family, I will do so on behalf of not only the Presbyterian church, but a wider community united in revulsion and rejection of such an act." |
| At the same time as the funeral, a vigil will be held in Belfast in memory of Mr Black. | |
| It takes place at 13:00 GMT outside the city hall and has been organised by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions. | It takes place at 13:00 GMT outside the city hall and has been organised by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions. |
| Visits to Maghaberry prison have also been cancelled on Tuesday because of the funeral. | Visits to Maghaberry prison have also been cancelled on Tuesday because of the funeral. |