A gun related to unsolved murders in Northern Ireland has been found at London’s Imperial War Museum, on public display, the BBC reports.

BBC’s Panorama reported on large scale collusion between the state and terrorist groups in Northern Ireland. The program revealed, through a series of interviews, claims to the extent of routinely shielding undercover police informants from murder charges during the troubles in Northern Ireland.

Panorama also revealed that a VZ58 rifle used in the murder of five Catholics in a betting shop in Belfast in 1992 was found on display at London’s Imperial War Museum.

“I have been made aware that investigators from the Police Ombudsman’s office have recovered a weapon on loan from police in Northern Ireland to the Imperial War Museum in London (IMW) as part of a permanent exhibition relating to ‘the Troubles’,” said the current Assistant Chief Constable Will Kerr. “In the interests of public confidence and transparency, I accept that it merits further investigation.”

“IWM believes that we provide an appropriate context for the display of items used in conflict. This object has always been displayed in the context of a wider story which sets it against other items from both sides of the Northern Ireland conflict.” Said a spokeswoman for IWM speaking to the BBC.

Forensic testing has already proved that the gun found is the same weapon that was linked to the killings, and that it was also used in two murders four years earlier in 1988.

When families of the victims made inquiries regarding the murders they were told that the gun had been “disposed of” and witness statements lost. Now it has emerged that the gun was on public display in a London museum.

The families of the victims have long thought that there was state collusion in the killings.

“I am absolutely shocked that a gun connected with so many deaths was there on display for anyone to come and see at the Imperial War Museum in London. It should be here in a secure place so that it can be used for ballistics,” Billy McManus, the son of Willie McManus who was killed in the attack told Panorama.

“Why would somebody let something so important be shipped to England to be put on display? What does that say about their treatment of the case? They just don’t care,” he added.

So far there appears to be no disclosure on how the gun came to be on display at the museum.