Senior Continuity IRA figure Colin Duffy

TOP dissident republican Colin Duffy was arrested this morning in dawn raids by detectives probing yesterday’s motorway ambush of prison officer David Black.

The 44-year-old, who police suspect is a senior figure in the Continuity IRA, was taken to Antrim Serious Crime Custody Suite for questioning.

A 31-year-old dissident suspect was also arrested in the dawn swoops in Lurgan by the PSNI’s Serious Crime Branch and a specialist Tactical Support Group.

Duffy was found not guilty earlier this year of the murder of two soldiers at Massereene Barracks.

This morning’s arrests come as the Belfast Daily has learnt that police and intelligence met yesterday evening to discuss the fallout from the prison officer’s murder.

One area of concern is the major gap in the intelligence coming out of dissident republicans in north Armagh.

Already the Continuity IRA has murdered two soldiers at Massereen barracks, Constable Stephen Carroll and prison officer David Black.

Murdered prison officer David Black

The Northern Ireland Executive and their Irish counterparts will also meet later to discuss the political ramifications of the murder at the North/South Ministerial Council in Armagh.

One area of concern has been the fact that getaway car used in the murder, a Toyota Camry, was fitted with Dublin registration plates.

Meanwhile, it has been revealed that the son of murdered prison officer David Black had travelled past the scene not knowing his father had been fatally wounded.

A friend of a prison officer who was murdered in Northern Ireland has said the victim’s son drove past the scene 15 minutes after the killing.

Ulster Unionist councillor Trevor Wilson has visited the family and said they were “devastated”.

“The M1 is supposed to be the busiest road in Northern Ireland and David’s son actually drove past the scene 15 minutes after it happened and not knowing that his father was actually involved in it,” he said.