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Quinn staff urge groups targeting management to end "reign of terror"

Staff at Quinn Industrial Holdings have called on groups targeting senior management at the compa...
Michael Staines
Michael Staines

16.35 20 Sep 2019


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Quinn staff urge groups target...

Quinn staff urge groups targeting management to end "reign of terror"

Michael Staines
Michael Staines

16.35 20 Sep 2019


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Staff at Quinn Industrial Holdings have called on groups targeting senior management at the company to bring an end to their "reign of terror."

It comes after the company's chief operating officer Kevin Lunney was abducted near his home and viciously beaten before being dumped at the side of the road.

Police have described the injuries he suffered as "life-changing."

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Staff at the company joined locals on Friday afternoon in marching through the town of Derrylin in CoFermanagh, where the company is headquartered, to call for an end to the violence.

They released a statement signed by all staff expressing their " unequivocal support" for the Lunney family and wishing him "a full and speedy recovery from the horrific injuries that have been inflicted on him."

"This attack is the latest in a campaign of intimidation against the directors and senior management of QIH," read the statement.

"As a staff group, we utterly condemn this and all previous physical assaults, arson attacks and intimidation on members of staff.

"The people who are perpetrating these acts do not represent us, or our views, and we plead with them to stop this campaign with immediate effect."

They called on the local community to provide whatever support and assistance is to bring the attackers to justice.

"We demand an end to this reign of terror," reads the statement. "To all intimidation and attacks on management and their properties."

They also urged politicians and police on both sides of the border to put in place the resources to "bring an end to these brutal attacks so we can feel safe in our place of work and in our local communities."

Also on Friday, QIH chief executive Liam McCaffrey said staff are facing an "orchestrated terror campaign."

"We just day-by-day make our way through that," he said.

"These threats have come and gone now at various levels for the past almost five years."

On Newstalk Breakfast earlier, Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan defended the Garda response to the violence.

"There are active files with the DPP," he said. "There have been arrests."

"What we need is the information. I again repeat that every effort will be made by the Gardaí in the south and the PSNI in the North."

He said the relationship between the PSNI and Gardaí "has never been as good."

"That is good in terms of cross-jurisdictional sharing of information," he said.

"I am satisfied that every effort will be made on this and as the Justice Minister I am confident - as is the Garda Commissioner - that this will be brought to an end."

An Garda Síochána say they are continuing to liaise closely with and assist the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) into the investigation.

Gardaí have also carried out a number of searches in the Cavan area, which are ongoing.

Deputy Commissioner John Twomey has been briefed by local Garda management in Cavan.

He said he assured them of "the full support" of the Garda organisation.

"The local community and all normal people in a democratic society, and An Garda Síochána are outraged at this savage and horrific attack on a business man going about his normal business.

"An Garda Síochána will make every effort to bring these violent criminals to justice, but we need the support of the local community in order to do so".

Chief Superintendent John O'Reilly said the force has committed "significant local resources" to the investigation and will continue to do so into the future.

An Garda Síochána and the PSNI continue to appeal for any person who may have seen a black saloon Audi being driven in the Derrylin, Fermanagh/Swanlinbar, Killeshandra Cavan areas to make contact.

An Garda Síochána are appealing for anyone who may have been driving in the Fermanagh/Cavan border region over the course of Tuesday evening, between 6.00pm and 10.00pm, who may have dash cam footage to contact them.

Anyone person who has any information on this attack or other criminal activities can contact Cavan Garda station on 049-4368-800, the Garda Confidential Line at 1800-666-111, or any Garda station.

 


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