A man believed to have been the highest ranking British army agent within the IRA who was linked to dozens of murders has died.
Freddie Scappaticci from west Belfast denied being agent codenamed Stakeknife, and fled Northern Ireland in 2003 after media reports named him as an agent.
He was a former head of the IRA's notorious internal security unit, which tortured and murdered alleged informers.
It's understood he died earlier this month, and was buried at his home in England last week.
Scappaticci was at the centre of an investigation codenamed Operation Kenova, which was established to examine more than 50 murders linked to him.
Jon Boutcher, the police officer leading Operation Kenova, has said he hopes to publish the findings of his investigation next year.
Mr Boutcher said: "We were made aware last week of the passing of Frederick Scappaticci. We are working through the implications of his death with regards to our ongoing casework, which will be progressed in consultation with victims, bereaved families, advocacy support groups and a wide range of statutory and non-statutory partners.
"The very nature of historical investigations will mean a higher likelihood that old age may catch up with those affected, be they perpetrators, witnesses, victims, family members, or those who simply lived through those times, before matters are concluded.
"We remain committed to providing families with the truth of what happened to their loved ones and continue to actively pursue criminal charges against several individuals. We will publish an interim report on Kenova's findings this year.
"We also recognise that people may now feel more able to talk to the Kenova team following the death of Mr Scappaticci, who had long accused by many of being involved in the kidnap, murder and torture of potential PIRA informants during The Troubles.
"I appeal to anyone with information that might help those impacted by the events we are investigating to contact us in confidence to help families understand what happened during these difficult times."
Kevin Winters, a lawyer representing families of people killed by the Provisional IRA during the Troubles, said: "The news will frustrate many families who have been waiting for over six years on the imminent publication of Mr Boutcher's independent report known as Operation Kenova.
"Some initial feedback from clients suggests annoyance about the timing of the death, coming as it does on the cusp of the report's publication later in the summer. Not only that but the PPS have been deliberating on prosecution decisions in 33 cases referred by Kenova nearly three years ago.
"Clearly the death will have an impact on both the content of the report and whether or not criminal prosecutions go ahead.
"Families of victims will rightly ask questions. Their cynicism is heightened upon learning that news of Scappaticci's burial seems to have been kept quiet by the authorities over the Easter weekend. People just aren't happy and that's only to be expected given the unexpected news.
"Answers will be needed sooner rather than later, given heightened expectations that after all these years they would finally get some degree of closure.
