Who decides to prosecute?
The Legacy Investigations Branch of the Police Service of Northern Ireland reviews all murder cases linked to the Troubles.
It does not prioritise military cases, which account for approximately 30% of its workload.
Any decision by the LIB to prosecute is referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland. The MOD, and the British Government, is entirely independent of this process.
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Two former paratroopers accused of murdering IRA commander Joe McCann nearly 50 years ago have denied killing him at the start of their trial this morning.
Father-of-four McCann, 24, died after being shot in the Markets area of Belfast in 1972.
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What was the court told about the shooting?
A prosecution lawyer told the court that Mr McCann was a senior member of the Official IRA who was suspected of involvement in a number of attacks carried out by the republican group.
He said the shooting took place after an RUC Special Branch Officer attempted to arrest him on Joy Street in the Markets area of Belfast. Mr McCann evaded detention and ran away.
The republican was “at the very top of the three-star list of people who were wanted for arrest”, according to the evidence provided at the time of the shooting by the Special Branch officer.
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