Investigators searching for Joe Lynskey, 1 of the IRA’s alleged disappeared, person exhumed a sedate successful County Monaghan.
Sky News understands the remains of "more than 1 person" were removed from the burial tract for ceremonial identification.
Mr Lynskey, 40, a erstwhile Cistercian monk who aboriginal joined the IRA, was abducted and murdered during a bitter interior feud successful 1972.
It was 2010 earlier the IRA admitted helium had been "executed and buried", astatine which constituent helium was added to the database of "the disappeared".
The Independent Commission for the Location of Victims' Remains confirmed that the exhumation had taken spot connected Tuesday.
Read more: Investigators hunt for assemblage of British worker Robert Nairac
A spokesperson said: "The Commission received accusation concerning suspicious historical enactment during the 1970s astatine a sedate successful Annyalla Cemetery.
"Both the clip framework and the determination coincide with the disappearance of Joe Lynskey successful 1972.
"The ICLVR did not go alert that Joe Lynskey was 1 of the disappeared earlier 2010.
"Following an exhumation, determination volition beryllium a ceremonial process to found the place of each of the remains recovered successful the grave."
"This process whitethorn instrumentality immoderate time," helium added.
"The disappeared" are radical believed to person been abducted, murdered and secretly buried during the Northern Ireland troubles.
In astir cases, the victims were abducted successful Northern Ireland but murdered and buried crossed the borderline successful the Republic.
The Independent Commission for the Location of Victims' Remains was established by the British and Irish governments successful 1999.
Of the 16 radical listed arsenic "disappeared", the remains of 13 person been located and returned to their families for burial.
Joe Lynskey, Seamus McGuire and Captain Robert Nairac, a British Army officer, are the 3 cases inactive listed arsenic unresolved.