The lasting and shameful legacy of the IRA murder of Paul Quinn

22 October 2010

Statement by TUV Leader Jim Allister

“As Paul Quinn’s family mark the 3^rd anniversary of his brutal murder by the Provisional IRA, they are entitled to feel wholly let down on almost every front.

“The police inquiry has been allowed to wither on the vine; the IMC shamefully whitewashed the murder by fictitiously absolving it from organisational sanction; Sinn Fein, true to form, simply lied their way out of it with Adams denying any republican involvement and Murphy describing IRA involvement as ‘wild and baseless allegations’; and the DUP blatantly turned a blind eye, because their partnership in government with the party whose military wing murdered Paul Quinn was more important than the Provos’ murderous exploits.

“The murder of Paul Quinn by the Provisionals in South Armagh was all about the IRA enforcing its writ in its territory. Though notable DUP figures, like Party Chairman Lord Morrow recognised that it was an IRA murder (NI Assembly 11 Martch 2008)* they all joined in letting the Quinn family down because it was politically expedient to do so, despite Jeffrey Donaldson declaring on the Nolan Show, “I speak on behalf of my party. If the IRA is involved – whether it’s individuals or – and there was a gang involved here – if there were a number of IRA members involved in this murder then that’s the actions of the IRA. We are not here to dance around this issue”. And, on 22 October the DUP Officers said, "If it emerges that the Provisional IRA was involved there will undoubtedly be serious repercussions for the political process in Northern Ireland.”

“When a gang of 15 IRA men chorographed and premeditated operation beat a man to death, then it is an IRA murder. No ifs and no buts. The military wing of the DUP's partner in government, Sinn Fein, murdered this young man and yet, the entire establishment closed ranks to protect the party of the killers. The Quinn family have every right to feel forgotten and abandoned.

“The IRA has got away with murder and responsibility for that lies with every politician who put office before principle and twisted and turned to excuse and extricate the IRA.

“Justice for Paul Quinn, just like justice for Robert McCartney, came a poor second to maintaining terrorist inclusive government.

“The murder of Paul Quinn tells us many things about the new Northern Ireland and, indeed, about the new DUP who for the sake of clinging to office was prepared to overlook this politically inconvenient IRA murder."

*Lord Morrow in the Assembly on 11 March 2008:“One day they (Sinn Fein) will say we backed the police, the next they stand up and they pontificate and say Paul Quinn wasn't murdered by the IRA. They must be about the only people on this planet that believes that.”

Terrorism