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The Disappeared: Search team 'confident' two bodies found | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Investigators who have uncovered remains in a search for one of the Disappeared are "confident" that two bodies have been found. | |
The Independent Commission for the Location of Victims' Remains (ICLVR) initially thought the remains found at a bog in the Republic of Ireland on Thursday were those of Joe Lynskey. | |
He was abducted, murdered and secretly buried by the IRA in 1972. | |
However, the commission later said at least two bodies had been found. | However, the commission later said at least two bodies had been found. |
Two more of the Disappeared, Seamus Wright and Kevin McKee, were believed to have been buried close to the site that was being searched in Coghalstown, County Meath. | |
The term the Disappeared refers to victims who were murdered and secretly buried by republicans during the Troubles. | The term the Disappeared refers to victims who were murdered and secretly buried by republicans during the Troubles. |
Senior investigator Jon Hill said he was "confident that there are two" bodies, but there "could be more". | |
"We were searching for the remains of Joe Lynskey, only expecting to find the remains of one person," he told BBC Radio Ulster's Good Morning Ulster programme. | |
"As the archaeologists were uncovering the remains they had found, it became clear that there was more than one where we were searching." | |
Mr Hill said he thought the two bodies "were probably buried together". | |
While the remains have not yet been identified, he said the families of Mr Wright and Mr McKee were "absolutely shocked". | |
Mr Hill added that due to the passage of time there could have been confusion among those who had provided information to the ICLVR on the where bodies of the Disappeared had been buried. | |
"It's so long ago that this happened and this ground where we're searching has changed dramatically from when these events occurred," he said. | |
"So, while you would suspect it could well be Kevin McKee and Seamus Wright that we've come across, we can't rule out that perhaps it's Joe Lynskey and another we don't know about yet. | |
Kevin McKee and Seamus Wright were both IRA members who were abducted and murdered by the organisation in 1972. | |
Mr Lynskey had been a former Cistercian monk from the Beechmount area of west Belfast, and later joined the IRA. | |
Mr Hill said it would be "some weeks before the DNA can give some more clarity" as to whose bodies had been uncovered. | |
When excavations began at the bog in March in a search for Joe Lynskey, forensic investigators said they had narrowed the search to about 15 acres of bog land. | |
The ICLVR was established in 1999 by treaty between the British and Irish governments. | The ICLVR was established in 1999 by treaty between the British and Irish governments. |
Its role is to obtain confidential information that could help to locate the bodies of the missing victims, but such information cannot be used in criminal proceedings. | Its role is to obtain confidential information that could help to locate the bodies of the missing victims, but such information cannot be used in criminal proceedings. |
Over the past 16 years, the ICLVR has searched for 16 people who were officially listed as the Disappeared. | Over the past 16 years, the ICLVR has searched for 16 people who were officially listed as the Disappeared. |
To date, the remains of 10 of the victims have been recovered and formally identified. | To date, the remains of 10 of the victims have been recovered and formally identified. |