Op Kenova: latest 'no prosecution' decision relates to five separate incidents - including three murders

It said the previous material highlights "the challenges that arise from the absence of original source materials and in relation to any attempt to rely upon intelligence records as evidence in criminal proceedings”.

Names of the victims have been withheld in the PPS report to avoid causing further distress to the families.

The final batch of files relates to seven alleged Provisional IRA members and five former soldiers.

The PIRA members were said to have had roles either in the detention of victims, or in some cases the detention and murder of victims. They were variously reported for offences of murder, conspiracy to murder and false imprisonment.

The retired soldiers are alleged to have handled an agent (Stakeknife) within PIRA’s Internal Security Unit (ISU). They were reported for the offence of misconduct in public office.

There were five main incidents considered by the PPS.

Incident 1: the abduction of Victim A.

“On a date in 1987 Victim A was abducted and detained by members of PIRA ISU. He was questioned and subsequently released later that same day. He was only willing to give evidence against one individual who was allegedly involved. That one individual is deceased.”

Incident 2: the abduction and murder of Victim B.

“In 1988 Victim B’s body was discovered after shots were heard by local residents. Victim B was last seen alive by family members the previous day. The cause of death was gunshot wounds to the head. PIRA claimed responsibility for the murder.”

Incident 3: the abduction and murder of Victim C.

“In 1989 Victim C’s body was discovered in West Belfast after shots were heard by police stationed nearby and by local residents. The cause of death was gunshot wounds to the head. The victim had also been shot in the back. PIRA claimed responsibility for the murder.”

Incident 4: the abduction of Victim D.

“On a date in 1989 Victim D was told to report to an address at which he was subsequently detained and interrogated by PIRA. He was detained for approximately eight or nine hours before being released.

"He alleged that he was assaulted during his detention. The matter was not reported to police contemporaneously.”

Incident 5: the Murder of Victim E

“In 1994 Victim E’s body was discovered by a local resident in a rural area. The same resident had heard a number of gunshots in the locality a number of hours earlier.

"A post-mortem established that the cause of death was gunshots to the head which were inflicted at close range and would have caused rapid death.

“Contemporaneous enquiries by police established that Victim E had told a number of relatives that it was her intention to take a bus trip on the day of her disappearance with a number of friends and acquaintances.”