The family of Seamus Ruddy have welcomed the news that his remains are about to be repatriated  from France.

Seamus Ruddy was abducted from Paris in 1985 by the INLA then murdered and secretly buried in a forest in Pont-de-l’Arche near Rouen.

His remains were uncovered by the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims’ Remains (ICLVR) on 6 May after four days of searching.

His remains will be brought to Dublin and released to the family when the Dublin Coroner, Dr Myra  Cullinane has fulfilled her legal obligations.

Anne Morgan the sister of Seamus Ruddy has campaigned for many years to have her brother’s remains found and brought back to Newry to be buried with their mother and father in Monk’s Hill cemetery.

 

Speaking today she said:

 

“We have waited over 30 years to get Seamus home and to lay him to rest.

We never gave up hope despite some very dark times and now our prayers have been answered.

It would not have happened if people who had information about where Seamus was buried had not come forward to the ICLVR and we thank them for that.

We also want to thank the whole ICLVR team who found Seamus.

The work that they do and the way they do it is remarkable.

We are also very grateful to the French authorities who facilitated the search and so quickly confirmed that it was Seamus who had been found”.

 

Anne Morgan went on to appeal for information in relation to the three outstanding Disappeared cases: Joe Lynskey, Columba McVeigh and Robert Nairac.

 

“Over many years we have been supported by the WAVE Trauma Centre and the families of the Disappeared.

That support has been invaluable.

There are now three families who are waiting for the news that we received on 6 May.

I hope and pray that their torment will end.

In the ICLVR there is a system that works and that has been proven again and again.

But they need information and we appeal to anyone who can help locate where the Disappeared are buried to please come forward”.

 

 

Anyone with information on the Disappeared can contact the ICLVR in complete confidence on 00800 555 85500,  by writing to ICLVR, PO Box 10827, Dublin 2. or via the website www.iclvr.ie”.

 

 

 

Ends.

 

Contact Sandra Peake (WAVE Trauma Centre): 07889 625235.