Remains found in France are those of Disappeared victim Seamus Ruddy

By David Hunter

Human remains found in a forest in France on Saturday have been confirmed as those of Dissapeared Victim Seamus Ruddy. 

The 32 year old teacher from Co.Down was one of 16 people abducted, murdered and secretly buried by republicans during the troubles. 

DNA profiling confirmed the identity of remains after Seamus was abducted from Paris by the INLA in 1985.

The Independent Commission for the Location of Victims' Remains confirmed the identity in a statement this evening. 

The commission was established in 1999 following an agreement between the British and Irish governments.

It states that all mechanisms used to obtain information would be in the strictest confidence, and could not be used for prosecution. 

An ICLVR statement said: "The Independent Commission for the Location of Victims' Remains has announced that the French authorities have completed the DNA profiling of the remains recovered from a forest at Pont-de-l'Arche, near Rouen.

"The remains have been confirmed as those of Seamus Ruddy. The remains will be repatriated in due course."

The Irish National Liberation Army (INLA) was a republican splinter group.

There had been a number of previous searches in the same forest area for Mr Ruddy, the most recent by the ICLVR in 2008.

The latest recovery leaves three of the 16 Disappeared victims still missing.

The remains of Columba McVeigh, Joe Lynskey and Robert Nairac have yet to be found.