Investigation begins after prison officer held by inmates

A PRISON officer was held at gunpoint at Northern Ireland's Maghaberry Prison yesterday by INLA men who were apparently protesting at last week's transfer of loyalist Billy Wright.

The standoff ended after four hours when the two men gave themselves up. A pistol and what police said was a "sophisticated homemade weapon" were recovered by prison authorities, who have begun an investigation. Prison visits today have been cancelled.

The incident in the remand wing appears to have been linked to the transfer of Billy Wright and other loyalists from Maghaberry last Friday to part of a punishment wing of the Maze, the remainder of which is occupied by INLA prisoners.

Wright is believed to have been demanding a move from Maghaberry since he was jailed in early March for threatening to kill a Portadown woman.

In the wake of his transfer, the Irish Republican Socialist Party said the move was a serious error of judgement which could lead to violence inside and outside the Maze. It is understood the IRSP helped negotiate the end of yesterday's incident. But its spokesman on prisons, Mr Willie Gallagher, warned that the situation in the Maze was "very, very tense" and that the INLA prisoners could not guarantee Mr Wright's safety.

The chief executive of the prison service, Mr Alan Shannon, said he was not aware of any significant demands made by the hostage takers.

He said an inquiry was under way into the events, which had left the life of a prison officer "in the balance". Both the guns recovered were loaded, he added.

The chairman of the North's Prison Officers Association, Mr Finlay Spratt, said the incident was indicative of the problems faced by his members, who were "cannon fodder" between the paramilitaries on one side and prison management on the other.