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Liam McCaffrey, CEO of Quinn Industrial Holdings. PA Images

Quinn Industrial Holdings CEO: Criminals are seeking to 'control the area and everybody in it'

Liam McCaffrey says a “small group of criminals organised by a paymaster” are behind the threats.

THE CEO OF Quinn Industrial Holdings (QIH) has said that the fresh threats made against him and other directors comes from criminals who want to “take control this area and control everybody”.

Liam McCaffrey was speaking after being informed by the PSNI on Monday that a letter to the Irish News made threats against him and his colleagues. 

The letter warned the directors that this was their “final warning” and that “we could have killed Kevin very easily”.  

QIH director Kevin Lunney was abducted from his car near his home in Derrylin, Co Fermanagh at around 6.40pm on 23 September.

He was savagely assaulted at a second location before being left at the side of the road at Drumcoughill, Cornafean, Co Cavan sometime before 9pm the same night.

Speaking to RTÉ’s Morning Ireland today, McCaffrey said Lunney is recovering but is still in significant pain. 

He said the PSNI and gardaí are actively monitoring the homes of directors on both sides of the border and a clearly taking the threats seriously. 

“The amount of support that we’ve had has been very heartening since since the attack on Kevin, both from staff, customers and from the community in general. So clearly, the community are right behind the directors QIH on this,” he said.

It’s difficult to deal with a small group of criminals who are organised by a paymaster, it’s a simple matter of criminality. It needs to be dealt with. It’s not a community issue. per se, and I think we just have to trust in the garda investigation on the PSNI investigation that’s ongoing to deal with what’s going on here.

“It’s really saying to the rule of law, you can’t operate here, we seek to control this area and control everybody in it and that simply cannot be allowed to succeed because the message that that gives out in a broader sense is just horrendous for any civilised democracy to operate in that fashion.”

McCaffrey said that many people have come forward over the past couple of weeks and that this is hopefully a positive for the investigation. 

Asked about Sean Quinn’s condemnation of the threats and attacks, McCaffrey said:

“Any condemnation is welcome. I’m on record as saying I was disappointed that while Sean condemned what has happened and condemned the activities he also saw fit to once again launch attacks against myself and Kevin. Particularly Kevin was just recovering from the assault, I thought it was an ill -advised comment on his part.”

McCaffrey added that he and the other directors wanted the see-through their job at QIH but that the intimidation must end.

“We have stuck with the task we have run the company in a professional manner, increased the employee numbers by 200. And yes, certainly it’s our intention to see this through and work forward in that fashion. Equally, we will want to see the security forces PSNI and Garda and bring this to a conclusion and deal with the paymaster who’s paying for these activities and orchestrating this ongoing campaign of intimation.”

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    Mute S
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    Sep 23rd 2016, 9:30 AM

    Over advertising and too many contestants ruined the Irish one. Sad to see the original one may go the same way.

    156
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    Mute Danny Rafferty
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    Sep 23rd 2016, 1:05 PM

    And I thought it was the contestants couldn’t cook.

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    Mute Christy Nolan
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    Sep 23rd 2016, 3:51 PM

    @S:

    Bake off with all these stupid polls.

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    Mute LeeKelly
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    Sep 23rd 2016, 9:25 AM

    Chris Evans might be free to present.

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    Mute John Ryan
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    Sep 23rd 2016, 9:27 AM

    Really sad that this “story” is getting so much coverage both here and in UK. All perspective lost.

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    Mute James Darby
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    Sep 23rd 2016, 9:54 AM

    I wonder how the inhabitants of Aleppo would vote in this poll John.

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    Mute Eyepopper
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    Sep 23rd 2016, 10:11 AM

    @John Ryan: Between this and Brangelina, this has been the worst week of my life.

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    Mute john barnes
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    Sep 23rd 2016, 11:41 AM

    It is an article asking would you be watching new show, why the f¥<¥ did you read the article if you've such little interest?

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    Mute Danny Rafferty
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    Sep 23rd 2016, 1:09 PM

    You’re a philistine John. The best show in the history of television, a glorious piece of art no less, is about to demise, and all you can talk about is the bloody news. I can’t get over done people. Honestly. I’m too emotional to keep writing…

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    Mute Danny Rafferty
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    Sep 23rd 2016, 1:10 PM

    I meant “some people” …can’t see the keyboard through my tears.

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    Mute James Darby
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    Sep 23rd 2016, 1:43 PM

    If that’s for me John I’ve so little interest that I didn’t actually read it.

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    Mute The IMF are here
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    Sep 23rd 2016, 9:27 AM

    My soggy bottom will never recover.

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    Mute Awkward Seal
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    Sep 23rd 2016, 9:54 AM

    You should have a “what the hell are you talking about” option

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    Mute Larry Doyle
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    Sep 23rd 2016, 9:51 AM

    Hope they can get the same tent – it is the real star of the show!

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    Mute Danny Rafferty
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    Sep 23rd 2016, 1:04 PM

    I don’t understand the Journal’s lack of compassion here. Reporting on Channel 4′s so called replacement show when so many of us are still in mourning. Have they no respect? They should be publishing the numbers of counselling services for those affected instead. Lots of people couldn’t face work here today. Those that are in are walking around dazed and in shock. Like zombies.

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    Mute Fifty Shades of Sé
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    Sep 23rd 2016, 11:48 AM

    I chose “I never watched it” though for the sake of grammatical accuracy it should have read “I have never watched it” or “I’ve never watched it”.

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    Mute John Ward
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    Sep 23rd 2016, 11:55 AM

    @Fifty Shades of Sé: I also chose that option but I would have preferred, “I wouldn’t watch that crap even if you paid me”!

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    Mute dee jayy
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    Sep 23rd 2016, 9:49 AM

    Never watched it and never will.I’ve enough problems in my own kitchen without looking at a bunch of clowns who couldn’t boil an egg.

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    Mute Dave Murray
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    Sep 23rd 2016, 10:14 AM

    @dee jayy: oh? What’s wrong with your kitchen? It is OK?

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    Mute dee jayy
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    Sep 23rd 2016, 10:50 AM

    No it’s not Dave. My smoothie machine isn’t working.

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    Mute Chris Kirk
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    Sep 23rd 2016, 4:58 PM

    @dee jayy: I wouldn’t mind having some cooking lessons from Mary Berry, she is certainly no clown.

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    Mute Homer's imp son
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    Sep 23rd 2016, 9:59 AM

    Will I watch paint dry? Pass

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    Mute TomTraubert
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    Sep 23rd 2016, 2:36 PM

    Another useless Journal poll

    How about a simple yes no choice?

    Giving it a chance is actually the same as yes

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    Mute Alan b
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    Sep 23rd 2016, 9:48 AM

    Considering the hosts haven’t been confirmed its a bit hard to answer that , Soft spot for Nigella so hope she gets it

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    Mute Robin Basstard
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    Sep 23rd 2016, 9:59 AM

    Hey Alan sorry to hear it’s a soft spot :-)…Nigella gives me a hard………………………………………..

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    Mute Les McQueen
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    Sep 23rd 2016, 10:23 AM

    Spotted dick?

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    Mute Alan b
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    Sep 23rd 2016, 10:24 AM

    It’s always been soft Robin

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    Mute Suzie Sunshine
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    Sep 23rd 2016, 10:56 AM

    That must be hard to live with …

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    Mute the phantom
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    Sep 23rd 2016, 2:30 PM

    Nigella? Too tweaky to wait patiently while others cook.

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    Mute Damocles
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    Sep 23rd 2016, 1:36 PM

    You’d really have to ask my wife, she takes care of whether we watch Bake Off or not.

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    Mute Chris Kirk
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    Sep 23rd 2016, 4:56 PM

    A big loss without Mary Berry, someone who knows about cooking with Paul Hollywood who apparently served his time in his fathers bakery, but couldn’t get on with him. I think that this show will fail with Ch4.

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    Mute Blind Faith
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    Sep 23rd 2016, 11:49 AM

    Jeez Daragh, what a fine big lump of a fella you are! I’d say you’d have no problem sticking the beef in a wellington. . with an extra large portion of hot Madeira gravy, gently trickling down the sides.

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    Mute John Ward
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    Sep 23rd 2016, 11:51 AM

    More bollocks!

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    Mute Alan Casey
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    Sep 23rd 2016, 3:13 PM

    I’ll be watching ‘The new irish 100 ways to boil spuds’ on tg5

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    Mute Sam Cairns
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    Sep 23rd 2016, 9:50 AM

    141 Select BBC1 on Sky Box, or Services, Other Channels, Scroll across, Down several channels, Select for CH4. Too much hard work to be honest. BBC will probably put some big hitter on at the same time as the new show just to annoy CH4.

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    Mute Peter keogh
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    Sep 23rd 2016, 10:07 AM

    Why not just press 135

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    Mute Sam Cairns
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    Sep 23rd 2016, 8:30 PM

    Only available if you have a sky subscription package, I do not.

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    Mute Seán Domhnall O'Sullivan
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    Sep 23rd 2016, 11:44 PM

    It’ll never match up to my upside-down upside down pineapple cake in Transition year mind… :p

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    Mute Mick Jordan
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    Sep 23rd 2016, 10:47 AM

    Not ha Poe

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    Mute Brooklyn Gray
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    Sep 24th 2016, 1:50 PM

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    Mute Joseph Molloy
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    Sep 24th 2016, 9:42 AM

    Why not have a poll on how children in this country are wrapped in cotton wool, driven to school, driven to everything …

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    Mute Joseph Molloy
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    Sep 24th 2016, 9:41 AM

    Will Paul have Haley Berry instead of Mary and chuckle brothers

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