Third Man Held Over NI Prison Officer Murder

A third man has been arrested in connection with the murder of prison officer David Black, who was ambushed on a motorway in County Armagh.

The suspect, 29, was detained in the Irish Republic by police.

Two other men including prominent dissident republican Colin Duffy were earlier arrested north of the border.

David Black, 52, was gunned down on Thursday during a high speed ambush on a motorway as he drove to work at Maghaberry high security prison.

His killing has prompted condemnation from across Britain and Ireland and police have blamed it on dissident republicans.

The father-of-two's car veered off the road and into a drainage ditch after the shots were fired.

He was on a stretch of the motorway between Portadown and Lurgan - a dissident republican stronghold in County Armagh.

A Toyota Camry used in the attack was later found burned out in the Inglewood area of Lurgan.

Police have blamed dissident republicans opposed to the peace process for the ambush. They have been engaged in a long-running campaign against conditions in Maghaberry.

Detectives leading the inquiry have insisted they need the public's help to bring the killers to justice.

Superintendent Keith Agnew said: "I welcome the universal condemnation there has been from right across our community in response to David's murder. I am sure it is of comfort to his family at this difficult time.

"But condemnation, however strident, is not enough. My team of detectives need condemnation to be translated into information if our investigation is to make maximum progress."

Mr Black, from Cookstown, County Tyrone, had served in the Prison Service for more than 30 years and was considering early retirement.

His wife and children are said to be "absolutely devastated" by the killing.

A long-standing member of the Orange Order, Mr Black was the 30th prison officer to be murdered in Northern Ireland since 1974, although the first for almost 20 years.

He was driving his black Audi A4 when the dark blue Toyota drew up alongside and several shots were fired. Police believe he may have already been dead when his car veered off the road.

All sides in Northern Ireland have condemned the shooting, along with Prime Minister David Cameron.

Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers made a statement in the House of Commons on the matter on Friday.

She offered the Government's "profound sympathies" to Mr Black's family and colleagues and said the attack "demonstrated the gravity of the threat that dissident groups continue to pose".

Ms Villiers said the UK remained "vigilant", adding: "The numbers involved in terrorism activities are small but these groupings have the capability and they have lethal intent."

The Northern Ireland Police Service have launched a "meticulous investigation" into the ambush, and officers "will not rest until the attackers have been put behind bars", she told MPs.

Meanwhile, Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams said the killing of the prison officer was wrong.

He said: "There is no rationale now for the existence of armed groups or for carrying out armed actions in any part of this country.

"Those involved have no popular support or political strategy."

Earlier in the day the shooting was discussed at a north-south meeting in Armagh involving Enda Kenny, prime minister of the Irish Republic, Northern Ireland's First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness.