Sinn Féin has denied that the IRA was behind a threat against a potential key witness in the murder of Paul Quinn in south Armagh.
Local Sinn Féin MP Conor Murphy and local councillor Colman Burns yesterday rejected an assertion by SDLP Assembly member Dominic Bradley that the IRA intimidated the witness.
Mr Quinn, aged 21, from Cullyhanna in south Armagh was beaten to death by a masked gang after he was lured to a farm in Co Monaghan in October.
The Paul Quinn Support Group recently said the IRA warned a man, who was a potential witness to the murder, that he was under a death threat.
Mr Murphy insisted yesterday that mainstream republicans were not involved. He said that the PSNI did not specify which organisation had issued the threat, which Sinn Féin had learned about two weeks ago. "We became aware that the threat to him didn't pertain from any organisation whatsoever," said Mr Murphy. "We offer our full support to the family," he added. Mr Burns accused Mr Bradley of pursuing "his own narrow political agenda by attempting to exploit the concerns" of the threatened man and his family.
"Sinn Féin learned of this latest death threat to another individual in the Cullyhanna locality nearly two weeks ago. I immediately contacted and visited the family and as well as totally condemning the threat, I offered them our full support," he said.
Mr Bradley, however, continued to insist the IRA was responsible for the threat. "I don't believe that the IRA wasn't involved. I don't think the local community does."
