A FRESH SEARCH has been given the go-ahead for a man abducted and killed by the IRA in 1972.
Joe Lynskey, a former Cistercian monk who later joined the Provisional IRA, was kidnapped in west Belfast in August 1972 and became regarded amongst a group known as the Disappeared.
The Disappeared comprises of 16 people abducted and secretly buried by republicans in the 1970’s and 1980’s.
Of the 16 Disappeared, the remains of 13 have been uncovered.
The remaining three are Mr Lynskey, Columba McVeigh who was kidnapped in 1975 and British soldier Captain Robert Nairac who was killed in 1977.
Preparatory work is to begin today to clear a small area of trees for the search at Oristown, Co. Meath.
The search is being led by the Independent Commission for the Location of Victim’ Remains.
Lead investigator Geoff Knupfer told BBC News: “We carried out an extensive search for Joe Lynskey in nearby Coghalstown in 2015.
"During that search, we found the remains of Seamus Wright and Kevin McKee but unfortunately we drew a blank in relation to Joe Lynskey.
"As we do after every unsuccessful search we go back and review all the information that we have pulled together to see if there are other lines of inquiry to be pursued.
"That's what we've done in this case and as a result, we are going to look at quite a small area of woodland at Oristown near where we found Brendan Megraw in 2014."
The search of land in Oristown is expected to begin later this week.
