FRAGMENTS of human remains have been found at the site in County Monaghan where a search had previously taken place to locate the remains of Joe Lynskey.

The West Belfast man, who had been a Cistercian monk and was a member of the IRA, was shot dead by the organization in 1972 and secretly buried. He was one of 17 people – known as the Disappeared – who were murdered by republicans during the Troubles and whose remains were not returned to their families. Of the 17, all but four bodies have yet to be recovered.

DNA tests showed that remains found at a previous search of Annyalla Cemetery in County Monaghan were not those of Mr Lynskey.

Today, Friday, the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims' Remains (ICLVR) said: “Following the recent exhumation at Annyalla Cemetery in relation to the search for Joe Lynskey, information came to the ICLVR indicating another small area of interest within the confines of the cemetery.

“This was not another family grave site."

The statement added: “I want to emphasise that this information did not relate directly to the disappearance of Joe Lynskey and so until we have a positive identification or the elimination of the remains as those of Joe Lynskey or any of the other of the Disappeared we have to keep an open mind.”

The Lynskey family have been notified about developments.