THE family of two Catholic brothers shot dead by loyalists almost 30 years ago has called for a public inquiry into a series of sectarian murders carried out at the time.
Gerard (22) and Rory (18) Cairns were killed by a UVF gang in the living room of their home near Bleary, Co Armagh, on October 28 1993.
Collusion is strongly suspected in the callous double murder.
Three suspected agents have been linked to the case, including former UVF commanders Robin Jackson and Billy Wright, who are both dead.
Details came to light in 2019 during a BBC interview given by former loyalist Laurence Maguire who claimed he had been involved in an aborted attempt to target the family, planned by Jackson, a year earlier.
He also claimed that targeting information came from Wright and was supplied to him by RUC members.
Jackson and Wright were among nine loyalists arrested after the murders but released without charge.
Gerard and Rory's father, Eamon Cairns, said that since the bombshell revelations made by Maguire, his family has not been kept informed of developments by the PSNI's Legacy Investigation Branch (LIB).
The Cairns family say they only found out via the media last year that agreement had been reached with regard to handing over material linked to the claims made by Maguire and others in the 2019 investigation.
It is not known if Maguire has been questioned by police since the documentary was broadcast.
A PSNI spokeswoman said: "Enquiries by our Legacy Investigation Branch detectives are ongoing to establish whether there is any other evidence which would enable police to progress an investigation.
"As this process is ongoing, we are unable to comment further at this time."
It is believed there are links between a series of sectarian killings carried out in the mid Ulster during the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Mr Cairns believes there should now be a public inquiry into the murders similar to that announced to examine the 1998 Omagh bomb.
"We families have never been afforded that opportunity to see the truth never mind get justice," he said.
A spokesman for the Northern Ireland Office said: "The UK government is determined to deliver better outcomes for those most affected by the Troubles, while helping society to look forward.
He added that the British government has tabled "a number of amendments" to its controversial legacy bill.
On the night Rory and Gerard were murdered their brother Liam, who was 14 at the time, was visiting a neighbour's house.
He believes his family has been treated badly.
"We as a family have been campaigning for truth and justice for Gerard and Rory for the last 30 years and we as a family have been treated with total disdain from the establishment," he said.
"The corner stone of any civilised society is a right to truth and justice. We have been constantly denied that along with countless other families. Everyone including the wider society wants the families to move on but we can't unless this legacy issue is addressed once and for all for everyone."
A spokeswoman for the PSNI said "officers from Legacy Investigation Branch will be writing to the legal representatives of the family in the near future to offer them an opportunity to meet and discuss the case".
The Cairns family solicitor, Fearghál Shiels, of Madden and Finucane Solicitors, said on Friday a meeting has been arranged for next week.
