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PSNI accused of 'reduced presence' as Quinn Industrial Holdings say campaign of violence has resumed

PSNI accused of 'reduced presence' as Quinn Industrial Holdings say campaign of violence has resumed

Police in the North are being accused of dropping their guard in trying to stop attacks against Quinn Industrial Holdings (QIH) staff.

Yesterday, QIH said the campaign of violence and intimidation against the company had resumed.

There was an attempt to burn two vehicles outside the home of a director's relative in Derrylin, Co Fermanagh, last Saturday.

Cavan councillor John Paul Feeley says the PSNI is not properly policing the area after the series of attacks last year.

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"I would have to say as someone who travels in the border region between Cavan and Fermanagh on a daily basis that I have noticed a lessening of the activity particularly by the north of the border by the PSNI," said Cllr Feeley.

"Both police forces need to keep their activity levels very high in this region until we see those who are at the back of all this activity dealt with."

Cllr Feeley said that he does see "quite a bit" of Garda activity in the area.

"I'm sure they would like more resources and we would like to see the emergency response unit in the locality put on the permanent footing that it was supposed to be.

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"But, certainly, I would notice a reduced presence of PSNI vehicles on the road when I travel in Co Fermanagh and I think the visibility of that presence is necessary irrespective of whatever investigations are ongoing."

Last weekend, an arson attempt on a vehicle belonging to a relative of a QIH director was captured on CCTV.

Following the incident, Chief Executive of QIH, Liam McCaffrey, said: "Following the savage kidnap and torture of Kevin Lunney last September this resumption of violence and intimidation is deeply concerning."

He added that the attack "shows the perpetrators will stop at nothing until those directing their activities are brought to justice."

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Mr McCaffrey expressed enormous relief that this attack did not result in a loss of life or serious damage.

File photo of Quinn Industrial Holdings in Derrylin, Fermanagh.

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