Mr. Geoff Knupfer:

As members have heard from Sir Kenneth Bloomfield, we have three outstanding cases on our list of disappeared. The first is that of Joe Lynskey, who was apparently abducted and killed in 1972. His name was not included in the initial Good Friday Agreement list of victims published in 1999. It only came to attention as a result of the publication of a book in 2010. Nevertheless, we have since been given to understand that inquiries were being made into his case in 1998 and 1999.

Following the receipt of some rather patchy information as to the whereabouts of Joe Lynskey’s remains, we undertook a search of a large field in Coghalstown, County Meath, in 2015. In the course of that search we found the bodies of Seamus Wright and Kevin McKee in a single grave in that field. We had previously been informed by an intermediary they were buried in an adjoining field. Despite completing a thorough search of the field following the recovery of the bodies of Seamus Wright and Kevin McKee, I am afraid we did not find any sign of Joe Lynskey. We have been advised by the republican movement that it has no further information on this case. We believe his remains are probably buried in the Coghalstown or Oristown area of County Meath and while we keep an open mind, our inquiries are focused on those areas.

The second case is that of Columba McVeigh, who was abducted and killed in 1975. His name appeared on the list published in 1999 and the commission was advised that his remains were buried in Bragan Bog, Carrickroe, County Monaghan. Information continues to be exchanged on this case and, to date, a number of searches of that bog have been undertaken but sadly without success. Further refinement is being sought on this case and, if it is deemed positive, a further search could be programmed for Bragan Bog in the current year. Nevertheless, the information we have on this case contains some inconsistencies and is far from complete. Any additional information that could be made available would be very much welcomed.

I turn to the final outstanding case, that of Robert Nairac who was abducted and killed in May 1977. At the time he was a serving soldier. He was abducted from the Three Steps Inn in Dromintee, taken to Ravensdale and was killed. Unfortunately, his body was removed immediately afterwards and was secretly buried. Several people were tried and convicted of his killing and associated offences, but his body has not been found and no information has been passed to the commission as to its whereabouts.

We believe that this could be because he was a British soldier and that, since his death, his name has been linked in a number of books and articles with five separate killings and atrocities. Due to this dearth of information, the commission has taken the unusual step of undertaking research into his background. This has revealed that Robert Nairac was not and never had been a member of the Special Air Service; he was in fact a Grenadier Guard. His role was that of a liaison and intelligence officer, liaising between the police and the army. In military terms, he was a very junior officer and would not have had free rein. Neither was he tasked with handling informants or sources as part of his role.

On the dates of four of the incidents with which his name has been linked, Robert Nairac was not in Ireland. On the fifth occasion, he was actively deployed on an operation in Derry, many miles away from where this incident occurred in County Monaghan. In all five cases we have been able to trace and interview witnesses who are able to vouch for Robert Nairac’s presence in these various locations and not anywhere near the locations where the incidents occurred. We in the commission are satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that these witness accounts are absolutely accurate and the individuals providing them are telling the truth. It is most unfortunate that the army’s "neither confirm nor deny" policy was brought to bear when these various allegations came to light. Had they been countered at the time with the appropriate documentary and witness evidence, it is unlikely we would find ourselves in the present situation.

We earnestly appeal to anyone who has information on the whereabouts of Joe Lynskey, Columba McVeigh or Robert Nairac to contact the commission. Any information received will be treated in the strictest of confidence and can only be used, as the committee has heard already, to recover and repatriate victims. It cannot be passed to any other organisation and it cannot be used in a court of law.