NEW DISAPPEARED CASE
03 February 2022
The Independent Commission for the Location of Victims' Remains (ICLVR) has announced that it has taken on a new Disappeared case, the first in over ten years.
Commissioners Rosalie Flanagan and Tim Dalton, on the basis of information received from the PSNI, concluded that the case of Seamus Maguire who disappeared from the Lurgan area in or around 1973/74 met the criteria as a Commission Disappeared case i.e. he was killed and secretly buried as a result of paramilitary activity before the signing of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement on 10 April 1998.
There are now 17 ICLVR cases of which 13 have been resolved with the remains having been located, recovered and returned to their families.
Geoff Knupfer, the ICLVR’s lead investigator said:
“Seamus Maguire was around 26 years old when he left his home near Lurgan, Co Armagh, never to return.
It is believed that Republican paramilitaries were involved though it is not yet clear which wing of the IRA was involved”.
Mr Knupfer went on to stress the humanitarian nature of the work of the ICLVR.
“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”.
A spokesperson for the Maguire family said:
“Seamus was a much loved eldest son.
His mother looked for him for many years.
The family’s wish is that he is brought home and given a Christian burial.
The family urge anyone who can help the Commission to do so by providing whatever information they know about where Seamus is buried.
The family have asked for privacy at this time”.
Seamus Maguire now joins Joe Lynskey, Columba McVeigh and Robert Nairac as the Disappeared whose remains have yet to be found and recovered.
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
Ends.
Contact Dennis Godfrey (ICLVR): +44 7771 642348.
Geoff Knupfer, ICLVR Lead Investigator, will be available for interview.
