Loyalist’s funeral delayed following bomb alerts

The funeral of north Belfast loyalist Ihab Shoukri was delayed this afternoon after two bomb alerts.

There was a hoax alert at the house from where the body was removed and another alert on the Oldpark Road as the cortege made its way to a church.

Andree Shoukri, the dead man's brother, was allowed out of jail where he is serving a nine-year sentence for intimidation and blackmail, to attend the funeral.

The brothers were thrown out of the UDA two years ago for "bringing it into disrepute".