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Kevin Lunney abduction: Suspect Cyril McGuinness dies | Kevin Lunney abduction: Suspect Cyril McGuinness dies |
(about 2 hours later) | |
The main suspect in the investigation into the kidnap and torture of a Northern Ireland businessman has died during a police raid in England. | |
Cyril McGuinness, 54, became ill as police searched his home in Buxton in Derbyshire on Friday morning. | |
That search was part of a joint police operation across the UK and Ireland in which almost 20 properties were raided. | That search was part of a joint police operation across the UK and Ireland in which almost 20 properties were raided. |
Quinn Industrial Holdings (QIH) executive Kevin Lunney was beaten by a gang in an attack on 17 September. | |
Derbyshire Constabulary said its officers carried out the search of McGuinness's home in Buxton on behalf of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI). | |
"Shortly after that warrant was carried out at 07:30 GMT, a 54-year-old man inside the property was taken ill," added Derbyshire Constabulary. | |
The force said officers administered first aid and called paramedics but the man died. | |
Who was Cyril McGuinness? | Who was Cyril McGuinness? |
A convicted smuggler, Cyril McGuinness was known as "Dublin Jimmy" and had an extensive criminal record. | A convicted smuggler, Cyril McGuinness was known as "Dublin Jimmy" and had an extensive criminal record. |
The 54-year-old from Derrylin in County Fermanagh was exposed in an investigation by BBC Northern Ireland's Spotlight programme in 2004 into the illegal transport of waste. | |
In 2007, he received a suspended sentence after he admitted 22 charges relating to the illegal transport of waste from the Republic of Ireland, through Northern Ireland to Scotland. | |
In 2011, he was extradited to Belgium to serve a seven-year prison term for stealing lorries and cranes that were brought to Ireland. | |
He was described in a European extradition warrant in 2008 as an "active member of an Irish criminal organisation". | |
In April that year, he was stopped by Serbian police near the Croatian border - when they realised he was subject to a Europe-wide warrant he was extradited to Bruges. | |
He faced charges in Bruges but left the country after being granted bail and was convicted in his absence. | |
The Independent Office for Police Conduct, which handles complaints made against police forces in England and Wales, is investigating McGuinness's death. | |
"We have sent investigators to the property and to the police post incident procedure to begin gathering information," it said. | |
As part of the police operation, the PSNI carried out five searches in Derrylin. | |
The Garda Síochána (Irish police force) said 100 of its officers were involved in searching five locations in County Cavan, three in County Longford and four in Dublin. | |
They said the locations were a mixture of domestic dwellings and commercial premises. | |
McGuinness had been a target of the police on both sides of the Irish border for years and had more than 50 previous convictions. | |
He was the main suspect in the kidnap of and violent attack on 50-year-old Mr Lunney, who was abducted as he was driving home from work in Kinawley, County Fermanagh. | |
Mr Lunney, a father of six, had his leg broken, was slashed with a knife and doused with bleach in a two-and-a-half hour ordeal. | |
He had the letters QIH cut into his chest with a knife and told the BBC's Spotlight this week that he feared that he would never see his wife and children again. | |
After the attack, Mr Lunney was dumped on a road in County Cavan 22 miles (35km) from where he was abducted. | |
He was found by a member of the public. | |
'Searches represent major response by police' | |
Analysis by Julian O'Neill, BBC News NI home affairs correspondent | |
Police on both sides of the border are under pressure to get results after a long-running series of threats and other incidents. | |
The campaign against QIH and senior staff has spanned several years. | |
There have been scores of incidents but to date no individuals have been charged. | |
The abduction of Kevin Lunney represented a significant ratcheting-up of things. | |
Police in the Irish border region have given priority to the investigation and the scale of the co-ordinated searches appears to represent a major response. | |
The PSNI's Det Ch Insp Julie Mullan said its detectives would "continue to work closely" with the Garda Siochana and Derbyshire Constabulary to try to "bring the perpetrators to justice". | |
In the past week, signs near the headquarters of QIH in Derrylin attacking the directors have been removed and the PSNI has increased its patrols in the area. | |
The companies comprising QIH were formerly owned by Sean Quinn, who was once Ireland's richest man. | |
When his business empire collapsed, businessmen, including former associates of Mr Quinn, bought the companies. | |
Mr Lunney, who had worked with Mr Quinn for many years and remained loyal after the County Fermanagh tycoon's bankruptcy, was reinstated as a director and Mr Quinn was employed as a consultant. | |
Mr Quinn left that role in 2016, later saying he was forced out and his family had been "stabbed in the back". | |
He has repeatedly condemned attacks on property belonging to the owners of his former businesses. | |
The Irish News reported on Friday that the directors of QIH have rejected an offer to the Quinn family. | |
It said Mr Quinn's son Sean Quinn Jr made the offer in a statement to the BBC's Spotlight. |