Chief’s concern about ‘six murders’

A police chief investigating an alleged shoot-to-kill policy in the North confided in a diplomat he was not concerned about a cover-up but “murder, six murders”, declassified files show.

There were also behind-the-scenes fears a Masonic plot within the police against John Stalker could be revealed during one of the most controversial episodes of the Troubles, according to documents marked ‘Secret’.

Mr Stalker was asked to investigate the RUC shootings of six people but was removed from the inquiry shortly before it was due to report in 1986.