British spy Stakeknife who ran IRA ‘nutting squad’ value ‘extra lives than saved’

A prime British Army agent who headed the IRA “nutting squad” chargeable for interrogating and torturing suspected informants seemingly value extra lives than he saved through the Troubles, a damning report has discovered.

The infamous mole, codenamed Stakeknife, was embedded within the IRA unit whereas additionally working secretly for British intelligence. The agent, who was linked to 50 murders, was believed to be West Belfast man Freddie Scappaticci, who died final yr aged 77. He went into hiding in England after being named by the media however denied the allegation.

Interim findings by Operation Kenova, a seven-year probe into Stakeknife’s actions, stated hypothesis that his actions had saved a whole lot of lives had been incorrect and that they “resulted in more lives being lost than saved”. The report, revealed at present, stated that “preventable and serious crimes took place and went unsolved and unpunished as a result of steps taken by the security forces to protect and maintain their agents”.

It known as on the UK Government and the IRA to apologise to bereaved households and victims of the inner safety unit (ISU), which was nicknamed the “nutting squad” over its methodology of killing suspected informants with a shot to the again of the pinnacle.

The probe, initially headed up by former Bedfordshire Police chief constable Jon Boutcher who then left to change into chief constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), stated “myths and erroneous stories” have constructed up round Stakeknife.

Mr Boutcher stated within the report that claims Stakeknife doubtlessly saved a whole lot of lives “are inherently implausible and should ring alarm bells. ” Any severe safety and intelligence skilled listening to an agent being likened to ‘the goose that laid the golden eggs’, as Stakeknife was, needs to be on alert as a result of the comparability is rooted in fables and fairy tales,” he added.

“Stakeknife was undoubtedly a priceless asset who offered prime quality intelligence about PIRA [Provisional IRA] at appreciable danger to himself, albeit that this intelligence was not at all times handed on or acted upon and, if extra of it had been, he couldn’t have remained in place so long as he did.”

The PSNI chief said the use of agents undoubtedly saved lives during the Troubles but preventable crimes were allowed to happen and went unsolved to protect agents. He said he estimated the number of lives saved as a result of intelligence provided by Stakeknife was in the high single figures or low double figures. “Crucially this isn’t a internet estimate as a result of it doesn’t take account of the lives misplaced as a consequence of Stakeknife’s continued operation as an agent,” he said.

“And, from what I’ve seen, I feel it possible that this resulted in additional lives being misplaced than saved. Furthermore, there have been undoubtedly events when Stakeknife ignored his handlers, acted outdoors his tasking and did issues he mustn’t have achieved and when very severe dangers had been run.”

The probe also rubbished rumours that Scappaticci might still be alive, and branded claims that Stakeknife met Margaret Thatcher and other ministers as “wild nonsense”.

The report stopped short of naming Scappaticci as Stakeknife but Mr Boutcher said the UK Government would authorise his identification in the final report. The team had passed “sturdy proof of very severe criminality” by Scappaticci to prosecutors in Northern Ireland prior to his death.

It recommended a review of the application of the Neither Confirm Nor Deny policy (NCND) that currently prevents the identification of agents involved in historical Troubles cases.

The Public Prosecution Service in Northern Ireland has said that no prosecutions would be pursued following the latest batch of files. Some 32 people, including ex-police, former military personnel and people linked with the IRA, were considered for prosecution on charges from murder and abduction to misconduct in public office and perjury.

Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris said the Government could not comment on the detail of the report until the final version was published.

“There could be little question that the best way Operation Kenova has performed its work since being commissioned in 2016 has gained the belief of many households who’ve lengthy been looking for solutions as to what precisely occurred when their family members had been so brutally murdered by, and on the orders of, the Provisional IRA,” he said.

A No10 spokeswoman said: “We would wish to lengthen our deepest sympathies with all of the households who misplaced family members throughout this very darkish interval in Northern Ireland and it is vital we don’t neglect the hundreds of victims, their households and neighbours from all communities who’ve suffered because of this.

“On this interim report, it would not be right to comment on the substance of it while it is an interim report. We will respond in full in due course following the full and final report and also following the conclusion of litigation which is related to the substance of this report.”