Quinn murder 'cannot be pinned on Provisional IRA'

The murder of a south Armagh man by people linked to the Provisional IRA cannot be pinned on the organisation, a report on paramilitary groups claimed today.

The Independent Monitoring Commission said 21-year-old Paul Quinn was lured over the border last October to his death on an isolated farm in Co Monaghan by people who were current or former members of the organisation.

However it could not attribute the savage beating to the organisation because it was not sanctioned by the Provisional IRA leadership and it stemmed from local disputes which were not unconnected to illegal activity.

The report said: “We do not attribute the killing to PIRA.

“This is for several reasons: the local and personal nature of its roots; the absence of indications either of organisational sanction or that it was in the interests of PIRA; and because it was contrary to the declared policy which PIRA has been following for over two years.

“We are reinforced in this view by the subsequent public remarks (by Sinn Féin)… The fact that some local members or former members or associates of the organisation were involved in this incident does not in our view justify attributing it to PIRA.”

Senior Sinn Féin figures have been adamant the Provisional IRA was not behind the murder of Mr Quinn and have called on people with information about the murder to contact police on both sides of the border.

Mr Quinn’s family, disaffected republicans and members of the nationalist SDLP have insisted Provisional IRA members were involved.

Ian Paisley’s Democratic Unionists have repeatedly warned Sinn Féin that there could be political repercussions if IRA involvement is firmly established.

The IMC, which expressed its sympathy to the Quinn family and paid tribute to their courage and appeals for no retaliation, said the murder flew in the face of PIRA policy of abandoning violence and embracing purely political activity.

The leadership of the organisation had, the commission noted, had some difficulties exercising authority in south Armagh in the past but there was no evidence to suggest this rejection of instructions was a general problem throughout Ireland.

“A number of people were involved in the incident although they did not all necessarily play a part in the actual killing,” the commission observed.

“Among those involved were people who had in various ways been associated with the PIRA at a local level, including members of the organisation.

“Some of these people were accustomed over a substantial period of time to exercising considerable local influence, collectively and individually.

“This would have led such people to expect what they would consider as appropriate respect from others and to being able to undertake their activities - including criminal ones – without interference; they would find it difficult to accept any waning in this influence and respect.”

The IMC said that, in a six-month period running from September to February, PIRA as a whole was not involved in terrorist or any paramilitary activity, shootings, assaults or intimidation and continued to pursue peaceful and democratic policies.

The organisation encouraged interaction with the Police Service of Northern Ireland, including the reporting of crime, and had taken a strong line against members involved in illegal activity.

The report highlighted as proof of PIRA’s commitment to a political path the movement of a number of senior members into key posts within Sinn Féin.

“The election of people who had been active in PIRA to positions within Sinn Féin during the period under review is clear evidence of the continuing integration of PIRA members into democratic politics,” they said.