POLICE OMBUDSMAN Al Hutchinson has promised a fair and thorough investigation into the death of a dissident republican in police custody in Derry.
The man who died in Strand Road PSNI station on Saturday afternoon was John Brady (40), from Strabane, Co Tyrone.
Mr Brady took his own life. A postmortem examination is to be carried out today.
Mr Brady was arrested in Strabane on Friday night and was being questioned about an alleged assault. It is understood he had recently dissociated himself from dissident republican activities.
Mr Brady was jailed for life for the murder in June 1989 of RUC Reservist David Black. He was later released on licence under the terms of the Belfast Agreement.
The 34-year-old reservist died when a booby-trap bomb exploded under his car shortly after he had left his home in Strabane.
The death follows the suspension on Friday of four medical officers after the suicide of a prisoner at Maghaberry jail in Co Antrim in August.
West Tyrone Sinn Féin MP Pat Doherty called for a full and speedy investigation of Mr Brady’s death by Mr Hutchinson’s investigators.