The Sinn Fein Mayor of Dungannon has signed the book of condolence for murdered prison officer David Black, despite earlier voting against opening one at the council.
Nine members - one independent Republican and the rest Sinn Fein - voted against a council motion to open a book of condolence at Monday night’s council meeting. Thirteen votes in favour of the motion saw the book opened on Tuesday morning.
Mayor Phelim Gildernew said he and his party opposed the murder of David Black in “the strongest terms” but added that it was not council policy to open books for people unless they are from the local area.
The Mayor signed the book on Tuesday as UUP councillor Kenneth Reid, who brought the motion, looked on.
David Black was murdered by dissident republican terrorists as he drove along the M1 between Portadown and Lurgan on his way to work at HMP Maghaberry on Thursday November 1.
On Monday a new amalgamated group of terrorists who call themselves the IRA claimed responsibility for the murder.
The 52-year-old father-of-two from Cookstown was the first prison officer to be murdered in Northern Ireland in almost 20 years.
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