Exhumed human remains from cemetery not those of Disappeared victim

Human remains exhumed from a sedate successful County Monaghan 4 months agone are not those of Joe Lynskey, the organisation acceptable up to find the Disappeared has said.

Mr Lynskey, from westbound Belfast, is 1 of the Disappeared - a radical of 17 radical who were abducted, murdered and secretly buried during The Troubles successful Northern Ireland.

DNA trial results bash not lucifer those of the household to whom the sedate belongs to either, oregon immoderate of the remaining Disappeared, the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims Remains (ICLVR) said.

The Irish constabulary service, An Garda Síochána, has notified the section coroner and said inquiries are nether mode to place the exhumed remains.

Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn said helium was "saddened to hear" the exhumation successful the hunt for Mr Lynskey's remains has been successful.

"My thoughts are with his family, who person faced decades of uncertainty and heartache," Benn added successful a statement.

He has urged anyone who whitethorn person accusation that could find Mr Lynskey's remains, oregon those of the remaining Disappeared, "to travel guardant successful assurance to the ICLVR".

'Deeply distressing'

The ICLVR carried retired the exhumation astatine Annyalla cemetery successful November, aft receiving accusation astir suspicious enactment astatine a sedate during the 1970s.

The timeframe and the determination coincided with Mr Lynskey's disappearance.

The ICLVR confirmed the result of tests connected the remains successful a statement.

It described the quality arsenic "deeply disappointing" for Mr Lynskey's family.

"The results of the DNA introspection person present eliminated them arsenic being those of the household to whom the sedate belongs and present besides eliminated them arsenic being those of Joe Lynskey oregon immoderate of the Disappeared," the ICLVR said.

"All the funny parties including the Lynskey household person been informed.

"We cognize that this quality is profoundly disappointing for the Lynskey household and the thoughts of everyone successful the committee are with them astatine this astir hard time.

"We are besides conscious that this was a distressing acquisition for the household whose sedate was opened to facilitate the exhumation.

"We are grateful for their co-operation and enactment astatine each stages of the process."

Who are the Disappeared?

The Disappeared are a radical of 17 radical whose bodies were buried astatine concealed locations betwixt 1972 and 1985.

The remains of 13 person been recovered truthful far.

The ICLVR has said it volition bash "everything successful its power" to retrieve the remains of the 4 others.

"We would again entreaty to anyone with accusation relating to Joe Lynskey, Columba McVeigh, Robert Nairac oregon Seamus Maguire to bring it to the ICLVR wherever it volition beryllium treated successful the strictest confidence."

Who was Joe Lynskey?

A erstwhile Cistercian monk from the Beechmount country of westbound Belfast, Mr Lynskey aboriginal joined the IRA.

Mr Lynskey went missing successful 1972, and republicans person claimed helium was "executed and buried" by the IRA.

The latest hunt for his remains was successful 2018. It ended without success.

Last November, his niece said that his assemblage "needs to beryllium brought home".

The plight of the Disappeared has been further highlighted successful caller months owed to the merchandise of the Disney+ series, Say Nothing.

The play focuses connected events during the Troubles, including the disappearance of parent of 10 Jean McConville arsenic good arsenic Kevin McKee, Seamus Wright and Joe Lynskey.