Investigators identified ‘a small piece of ground’ at Bragan Bog that had not been searched previously.

Investigators are keeping an ‘open mind’, pending the results of tests to determine whether the remains belong to IRA murder victim, Joe Lynskey.

Kenova chief Sir Iain Livingstone has written to Northern Ireland Secretary of State Hilary Benn raising his concern at the late disclosure.

Some 29 people, including a woman pregnant with twins, were killed in the atrocity on August 15 1998.

It comes as officials in Dublin and London seek a ‘reset’ in relations

Peter Sheridan insisted that the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR) has not “stopped justice”.

The Norwegian Centre for Human Rights examined state actions during the conflict.