The North's Police Ombudsman and Chief Constable are to investigate fresh claims surrounding the bombing of Claudy, Co Derry, in 1972.
Allegations concerning the involvement of a Catholic priest, now deceased, were made in yesterday's News Letter following approaches made by another unnamed priest to the newspaper's Derry correspondent. The paper reported that the priest led the IRA unit responsible for the attack.
The Irish Times understands that the office of the Ombudsman, Ms Nuala O'Loan, is also expecting to begin an investigation on foot of new allegations involving a police officer in the outrage.
The IRA exploded three devices in the village in July that year, shortly after Bloody Friday, killing nine people, three of them children. It was one of the bloodiest months in 30 years of the Troubles.
Ms O'Loan's detective team can only begin an inquiry based on allegations of police misdemeanour.
The priest responsible for giving the story to the News Letter claims that he is breaking his 30-year silence to clear his conscience.
He said, in a letter to the journalist and to Derry City Council's deputy mayor, Ms Mary Hamilton, who was injured in the bombing, that his fellow priest told him of his involvement in the Claudy bombing at the end of the summer in 1972.
The pair were on holiday in Co Donegal at the time.