'I'd have no hand, act or part or no knowledge': Sean Quinn speaks out over attack on Kevin Lunney

In a rare television interview Sean Quinn has strongly denied any knowledge around the abduction and torture of Quinn Industrial Holdings executive, Kevin Lunney.

Speaking to Channel 4 news Mr Quinn said he had no hand, act, knowledge or gain from the attack.

"I'd have no benefit of doing anything to Kevin Lunney. Kevin Lunney and I were good friends for years."

On the evening of September 17, Kevin Lunney, a father of six, left work at Quinn Industrial Holdings before being abducted and taken across the border where was tortured. Mr Lunney was left with "life-changing injuries".

Mr Quinn said the attacks being carried out on Quinn executives are not being carried out in his name.

"I'd think somebody with a high IQ would know that Sean Quinn is not a real fool. And that he would know that if something would have happened to Kevin Lunney, happened, that people would be looking in his direction.

Mr Quinn built a major conglomerate, starting with gravel and eventually expanding into hotels, cement and insurance and lost billions of euro in a failed financial bet on Anglo Irish Bank shares and by 2012 was declared bankrupt. The bitter recriminations of the collapse have rocked the Cavan and Fermanagh area.

Mr Quinn described the anger in some parts of the community at how he was treated.

"The locals are also very angry about that they've done to me: throwing me out the gate, giving me nothing, sacking me. They're very very angry."

The businessman went on to say he had no desire to take back his former companies following the attack on Kevin Lunney.

“I’m telling you a month ago, I still had ambitions to go back into those office and sort out the Quinn Group. Not today,” he said.

When asked why he has changed his position, he said: “Kevin Lunney.”

“People can say whatever they want about me but I don’t want to be seen as being the beneficiary of abuse of criminal activity,” he said.

Mr Lunney's brother, Tony, also a director at QIH, told Channel 4 News correspondent Paraic O'Brien he could not understand how any human being would inflict the injuries suffered by his brother.

There have been over 70 examples of harassment on QIH executives and a local priest has alleged that a "mafia style group with its own Godfather" is operating in the Fermanagh and Cavan area.

- Additional reporting by Press Association