Ahern to meet Paul Quinns' family

The parents of a young Northern Ireland man allegedly murdered by members for the IRA this year are to meet Minister for Foreign…

The parents of a young Northern Ireland man allegedly murdered by members for the IRA this year are to meet Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern as part of their campaign to bring their son's killers to justice.

Briege and Stephen Quinn whose son Paul was beaten to death at a farm near Oram, Co Monaghan, last month will meet Mr Ahern in Dundalk on Monday.

They are to discuss issues relating to the ongoing police investigation and also raise concerns that a campaign is being mounted to smear their son's the name.

Sinn Fein has denied the IRA was involved in the brutal murder of the 21-year-old, from Cullyhanna, Co Armagh, last October.

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And it has been mooted that the attack was linked to a row over fuel smuggling. His parents refute this and claim their son was killed because of a personal feud with an IRA member.

Stephen Quinn said the family had been hurt by claims that his son was a criminal. "We are trying to get Paul's name cleared and make sure the people who did this are put before the courts and put behind bars," he said.

The family will be accompanied at their meeting with Mr Ahern by SDLP Assembly member Dominic Bradley.

"The family are hoping to show the minister that Paul had no involvement in any form of criminality and wasn't a criminal himself," he said.

Last night more than 300 people attended a public meeting in Crossmaglen in support of the Quinn family.