Operation Kenova lead, former Chief Constable Jon Boutcher, is to head an independent police team to conduct an analytical report on collusion as ordered by the court in the case of Edward Barnard in what has become known as the Glenanne Series.
Police Service Northern Ireland (PSNI) Assistant Chief Constable George Clarke said: "Our thoughts first and foremost are with all of the families affected by these incidents. They like too many other families have suffered as a result of the Troubles and, understandably, they continue to seek answers in respect of the deaths of their loved ones.
"Following the Court of Appeal judgment on 5 July the Chief Constable undertook to commence work to appoint the Independent Police Team and he has now asked for the assistance of Jon Boutcher to head this team to conduct the analytical report on collusion as ordered by the court."
Mr Boutcher said: “The review of the Glenanne Gang Series will have the interests of the victims, and their loved ones at its very heart.
“I have started to meet with the families and their representatives, and have promised each of them that I will do everything I can to establish the truth about who was responsible for these terrible crimes. For the families that especially means finding out about what, if any, assistance was given to the Glenanne Gang by others in any manner whatsoever, and that will include whether people turned a blind eye to what was happening.
"If anyone has any information about these crimes please do contact me through the Op Kenova website. Any inquiry or investigation is only as good as the information it receives. The Barnard Review will seek to recover records and information from wherever such information might be held, not only from PSNI records.
"I make a plea in asking the media to act with great care in reporting this Review, please consider the families’ feelings, respect their privacy and act with care when showing images. It is incredibly traumatic for families, friends and loved ones to see film footage and images from these tragic events."
This is the fourth investigation being led by Mr Boutcher, with independent reviews already underway into Operation Kenova – a complex and wide-ranging investigation into allegations of murder, kidnap and torture dating back to the 1970s; the death of Jean Smyth-Campbell who was shot dead while sitting in a car on the Glen Road in west Belfast on 8 June, 1972; and the investigation into the murder of three RUC officers at Kinnego Embankment in County Armagh on 27 October 1982.