The families of three men shot dead by a loyalist murderer at the Belfast funerals of the three IRA members killed by the SAS in Gibraltar are planning legal action against the Ministry of Defence and police in Northern Ireland, they announced tonight.
They claim agencies of the state colluded with Mr Michael Stone in the killings in 1988.
The action is being taken following serialisation of a new book by Mr Stone about the killings.
The families say they are also seeking to stop Mr Stone profiting from the book of his exploits, something they said was "morally reprehensible and repugnant".
An IRA member, Caoimhghín Mac Brádaigh, and two other mourners at the funeral were shot dead when Mr Stone made a one-man attack on the funeral in Milltown Cemetery in west Belfast.
Another 60 people were injured when Mr Stone stormed through the cemetery firing from guns and hurling hand grenades.
He was seized by the security forces on the edge of the cemetery before mourners caught up with him and was later sentenced to several life terms.
He was released early under the terms of the Belfast Agreement.
The families of John Murray, Thomas McErlean and Mac Brádaigh said Mr Stone had clearly admitted there had been collusion by the security forces in the killings.
They allege he admits in the book:
Using weapons taken from a South African shipment imported by British military intelligence and their UDA/UFF agent Brian Nelson;
That an RUC Ruger pistol and ammunition were also used;
That a member of the RUC drove him to collect the illegal weapons, safely returning him to Belfast with the weapons in their possession.
The families of those killed and injured in the rampage said they had instructed lawyers to "issue proceedings against the Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland and the British Ministry of Defence for damages".
Additionally they would be seeking access to the profit-and-loss accounts of the proceeds of the sale of Mr Stone's recent book.