Members of an army unit dubbed a British 'secret terror force' have admitted firing on unarmed IRA suspects in west Belfast.

The Military Reaction Force also carried out drive by shootings of nationalists 40 years ago without any evidence they were members of the Republican group.

More than 3,000 deaths are being investigated by the Historical Enquiries Team as part of the peace process in the North.

Seven former members of the Military Reaction Force believed military regulations prohibiting firing unless their lives were in immediate danger did not apply to them.

One told the 'Panorama' programme on the BBC they were there to act like a terror group.

The most notorious unjustified army killings happened at Bloody Sunday in Derry 1972, when soldiers opened fire on civil rights protesters.

It comes just a day after the Attorney-General in Northern Ireland called for an end to prosecutions for crimes committed during the 30 years of conflict there.

Northern Ireland Security Correspondent Alan Murray spoke to Lunchtime here on Newstalk.