THE remains of Disappeared victim Seamus Ruddy are to be repatriated from France today.
The 32-year-old teacher from Newry was abducted in Paris and murdered and secretly buried by the INLA in 1985. His remains were found a month ago in a forest at Pont-de-l’Arche near Rouen.
The Independent Commission for the Location of Victims Remains (ICLVR) said Mr Ruddy's remains will be brought to Dublin today.
ICLVR commissioners Frank Murray and Sir Ken Bloomfield said the remains will be taken to "Dublin City Mortuary and will be released to the family when the Dublin Coroner, Dr Myra Cullinane, has fulfilled her legal obligations".
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the Ruddy family and we would ask that their privacy is respected as they prepare to lay Seamus to rest," they said.
Mr Ruddy's sister Anne Morgan, who campaigned for her brother's remains to be found, said her family were relieved he would finally be laid to rest beside his parents.
"We never gave up hope despite some very dark times and now our prayers have been answered," she said.
"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."
She praised the ICLVR for finding Mr Ruddy and the French authorities who facilitated the search. She also appealed for information about three of the Disappeared whose bodies have not yet been found: Joe Lynskey, Columba McVeigh and British soldier Robert Nairac.
"I hope and pray that their torment will end," she said.
"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."
Mr Ruddy will be waked at his sister Anne's home on June 15. Funeral Mass will be celebrated at St Catherine’s Dominican Chapel in Newry on June 17 followed by burial in Monk’s Hill cemetery.
Anyone with information on the Disappeared can contact the ICLVR on 00800 555 85500, by writing to ICLVR, PO Box 10827, Dublin 2. or via the website www.iclvr.ie
