Man missing for almost 50 years added to list of North’s ‘Disappeared’

A man who went missing in Co Armagh almost 50 years has been added to the list of those regarded as "Disappeared" during the North's Troubles.

The Independent Commission for the Location of Victims' Remains (ICLVR) announced on Thursday morning it had taken on the case of Seamus Maguire, who disappeared from the Lurgan area in or around 1973 or 1974.

Commissioners Rosalie Flanagan and Tim Dalton said that on the basis of information received from the PSNI, Mr Maguire's case met the criteria as a Commission Disappeared case.

It is the first new Disappeared case in more than 10 years.

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A spokesperson for the Maguire family said Mr Maguire was a “much loved eldest son” and “his mother looked after him for many years”.

The spokesperson appealed for anyone with any information about where Mr Maguire was buried to come forward and help the Commission.

“The family’s wish is that he is brought home and given a Christian burial.”

The term “Disappeared” is used to refer to people who were killed and secretly buried as a result of paramilitary activity during the North’s Troubles.

There are now 17 Disappeared cases, of which 13 have been resolved and their remains located, recovered and returned to their families.

The ICLVR's lead investigator, Geoff Knupfer, said Mr Maguire was around 26 years old when he left his home near Lurgan, "never to return".

“It is believed that Republican paramilitaries were involved though it is not yet clear which wing of the IRA was responsible

“As with all our cases our sole aim is to locate and recover the remains to return them to Seamus’ family. It is a purely humanitarian cause.

“The ICLVR is information driven and I would appeal to anyone who knows anything about the disappearance of Seamus to come forward to the Commission safe in the knowledge that any information will be treated in the strictest confidence.

“With the right information we will find Seamus and return his remains to his family,” he said.

As well as Mr Maguire, the remains of three others of the Disappeared - Joe Lynskey, Columba McVeigh and Robert Nairac - have not yet been found.

There is a CrimeStoppers reward totalling $60,000 payable for information that results in the recovery of the remains of any or all of the four.

The ICLVR can be contacted by telephone: 00800-55585500 International: +353 1 602 8655. E-mail information to: Secretary@iclvr.ie

By post to: ICLVR PO Box 10827 CrimeStoppers can be contacted through its untraceable anonymous online form at www.crimestoppers-uk.org.