Northern Ireland mourns prison officer
Politicians from across the UK have united to condemn the shooting of prison officer David Black, and pledged it would not derail the peace process.
First Minister Peter Robinson said the attack would help the community “stiffen its determination” to create stability, and denounced the attackers.
“The thugs who plunged his family into despair – they are flat-earth fanatics, living in the Dark Ages, spewing out hatred from every pore.”
Martin McGuiness, Mr Robinson’s Sinn Fein deputy, joined in the condemnation, saying the community was “full square and united against the activities of these groups”.
David Cameron also weighed in, and vowed the UK Government would take whatever steps were necessary to bring the perpetrators to justice.
Mr Black was shot dead on the M1 motorway between Portadown and Lurgan this morning.