NO "shoot to kill" policy was ever enacted by the RUC but consideration was given to charging senior RUC officers with conspiracy over "lies" told to cover up intelligence sources during the period, the former head of the RUC, Sir John Hermon has revealed.
In his Holding the Line, he admits having a difficult relationship with the former deputy chief constable of Greater Manchester, Mr John Stalker.
He criticises the way in which Mr Stalker conducted the investigation and particularly his insistence on having access to RUC Special Branch files. Sir John said he could not divulge this information as he was not the "controller" of the information.
He referred the matter to the then attorney general for an ultimate decision by the British prime minister, Mrs Margaret Thatcher.
Sir John confirms that the then head of the RUC Special Branch, Mr Trevor Forbes, considered that Mr Stalker's request endangered his agents in the IRA.
"I viewed the matter as one of national security which ultimately rested with the prime minister."
He says he was utterly shocked when he was informed in May 1986 that Mr Stalker was being removed from the investigation and from his duties because of his alleged involvement in what he describes as "matters of an extremely serious nature". These allegations concerned Mr Stalker's relationship with the Manchester businessman, Mr Kevin Taylor. Allegations of impropriety were denied by Mr Stalker.
Sir John said he was made aware of the allegations by the Inspector of Constabulary, Mr Colin Sampson, who handed him a two page document containing the allegations, which he does not detail.
He said he was convinced that from this point a conspiracy theory was created regarding Mr Stalker's removal from the shoot to kill investigation.
"Although wholly without substance, the notion of a conspiracy between the RUC, the Greater Manchester Police and even senior members of the British government and civil services was seized on avidly.
"The other notion that Freemasons within both police forces had conspired to get rid of Stalker was equally fantastic."
Sir John admitted that false versions of police operations were released to the press to protect sources and conceal police activities from terrorist organisations.
However, in the shoot to kill period in which six men were shot dead by the RUC in north Armagh in 1982-1983, Sir John said the policy of concealment went disastrously wrong".
"To be effective such cover stories had sometimes to be included in a public statement given by RUC headquarters to the media.
"Never were cover stories to be used for any purpose other than "this and most certainly they were never to be included in police" statements or given as evidence.
"It was in this latter respect that police procedures went so disastrously wrong in these fatal shooting incidents involving the RUC.
"On the directions of their immediate superior officers, and in order to protect the sensitive sources and methods by which their intelligence had been obtained, police officers concealed their true role as members of the Headquarters Mobile Support Units.
"Consequently, they were directed to state to CID officers investigating the deaths that they had been on routine preventive patrolling, albeit at a time of high risk and had fortuitously intercepted these individuals during routine patrols.
"These lies ultimately resulted in consideration being given to charging some police officers with conspiracy to pervert the course of justice".