A SEARCH for another of the so-called “disappeared” victims of the Troubles has taken place at a cemetery in Scotstown, Co Monaghan.
The exhumation took place in an area where there were previous searches for Columba McVeigh (17), who went missing in 1975.
Remains were exhumed from a grave at the cemetery yesterday.
Forensic examinations are to take place to determine if the bones exhumed are those of one of the disappeared, the Garda has confirmed.
The exhumation was authorised by Minister for Justice and Defence Alan Shatter last week after information was supplied to the Garda and the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims’ Remains.
Garda sources told The Irish Timesthat the bones taken away for examination were found in an official grave in which named people were buried.
“We’re talking about a case going back 30 years so it’s impossible to tell from looking at the grave if there’s a set of human remains in there that shouldn’t be there,” said one source.
It would only be established if McVeigh was buried there when a DNA profile was taken from the bones and checked against members of his family. This may take some time, the source said.
The exhumation was carried out in the presence of State Pathologist Prof Marie Cassidy and a forensic anthropologist. Commission staff were also present.
McVeigh, Donaghmore, Co Tyrone, was abducted and murdered by the IRA in 1975.
A known total of 16 people were “disappeared”. The Provisional IRA admitted killing 11 victims.
At least two others are believed to have been killed by the south Armagh IRA, Charlie Armstrong and Gerard Evans, although there were no admissions for these deaths. The Irish National Liberation Army admitted one killing, that of Seamus Ruddy in Paris in 1985.
The bodies of nine victims have so far been recovered.