The Military Reaction Force (the IRA believe the acronym stood for Military Reconnaissance Force) was a paramilitary unit utilised by the British during The Troubles

The Troubles

The Troubles was a period of ethno-political conflict in Northern Ireland which spilled over at various times into England, the Republic of Ireland, and mainland Europe. The duration of the Troubles is conventionally dated from the late 1960s and considered by many to have ended with the Belfast...

 in Belfast. The MRF ran plainclothes patrols in the city, ran agents and debriefed informants. One preferred tactic was to place informants, known as Freds

Freds (paramilitary)

The Freds were a unit of the Military Reaction Force in Belfast during The Troubles. The unit consisted of former members of Loyalist or Republican paramilitary units who had been "turned" to the pro-Government side by Special Branch and Army intelligence...

 in an armoured car and have them spot paramilitary members through the gunslit.

The MRF was allegedly involved in two drive-by shooting

Drive-by shooting

A drive-by shooting is a form of hit-and-run tactic, a personal attack carried out by an individual or individuals from a moving or momentarily stopped vehicle without use of headlights to avoid being noticed. It often results in bystanders being shot instead of, or as well as, the intended target...

s in the summer of 1972 which had been attributed to Loyalist

Loyalist

In general, a loyalist is someone who maintains loyalty to an established government, political party, or sovereign, especially during war or revolutionary change. In modern English usage, the most common application is to loyalty to the British Crown....

gangs.