The head of the investigation on the notorious British spy known as Stakeknife, who was involved in the IRA, has criticized MI5 for delaying the inquiry. Families of the victims applauded the report, claiming that it showed the collusion between the British government and the IRA in these murders.
Jon Boutcher expressed disapproval towards efforts to undermine him and the investigation. He also mentioned a tactic used by secret services to delay progress. Along with this, he disclosed that agent Stakeknife, in service of the British state, may have caused more harm than good by taking the lives of numerous individuals.
Before he could face charges for his alleged crimes, Freddie Scappaticci passed away at the age of 77 in April. Scappaticci, also known as Stakeknife, was a member of the IRA enforcement unit who was accused of committing extreme acts of torture and murder as a British secret agent.
Boutcher, who was also scathing about the “glacially” slow efforts of the prosecution service in Northern Ireland, said he could not name agent Stakeknife yet but disclosed that files containing evidence of “very serious criminality” about Scappaticci, who was from west Belfast, had been referred to prosecutors in Northern Ireland before his death.
In October 2019, Boutcher attempted to present the evidence regarding Scappaticci to prosecutors. He believes that there is no way to determine if Scappaticci would have been prosecuted, but believes it was possible and appropriate for him to face charges.
In my opinion, we have discovered compelling proof of severe criminal conduct by Mr. Scappaticci and it would have been beneficial to seek his prosecution for the sake of the victims, their families, and the pursuit of justice.
During a press conference in Belfast, it was stated that the identity of Stakeknife had been revealed to Operation Kenova with the understanding of confidentiality. I am still obligated to maintain this confidentiality and cannot disclose the individual’s name unless authorized to do so officially.
The government has not yet given permission for Stakeknife to be identified in the interim report. However, I believe this stance is no longer sustainable. I anticipate that the government will grant Kenova the authority to reveal Stakeknife’s identity in the final report.
Kevin Winters, who represents 12 families of victims, said there needed to be a public inquiry into the state level of penetration of the IRA and claimed Scappaticci was “not the only Stakeknife”.
He stated that it is a disturbing realization that both the state and the IRA were complicit in the killings of civilians.
After a seven-year-long investigation, with 1,000 statements from witnesses, 50,000 pages of evidence, and £40m spent, Operation Kenova, the police inquiry, has not led to any prosecutions. However, the report that was released on Friday revealed unsettling evidence of the government’s involvement in murder and potential efforts to prolong justice.
The study investigated 101 homicides involving the IRA’s “nutting squad,” a group led by Stakeknife that was in charge of questioning and harming individuals believed to have shared information with the security forces. Informants involved with the inquiry claim that Stakeknife may have directly participated in 14 murders and 15 abductions.
It reported that:
-
The military’s assertion that Stakeknife rescued “numerous” lives was “unbelievable,” based on mythical tales, and should have triggered concern. He suggested it was likely that the management of Stakeknife actually led to more lives being sacrificed rather than saved.
-
Stakeknife participated in acts of extreme and completely unjustifiable criminal behavior, including murder.
-
There were multiple instances of homicide in which the security forces possessed prior knowledge but chose not to intervene in order to safeguard their sources.
-
Boutcher experienced frequent conflicts with the secret services. He was required to attend multiple meetings with MI5 to express his concerns about restricted access to information, the classification of certain documents as “top secret,” the unusual access given to solicitors representing former security personnel, and his suspicion that MI5’s approach was intended to stall progress.
-
In October 2019, Operation Kenova attempted to present evidence files to prosecutors regarding cases involving Scappaticci, members of the security services, and crimes such as murder, abduction, and conspiracy to pervert justice. However, MI5 informed them that their building’s security accreditation had expired, preventing them from proceeding. The evidence was eventually submitted in February 2020.
Former chief constable of Bedfordshire police, Boutcher, who is now the chief constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, released his “interim” report on Friday citing the slow progress of prosecutions and the families’ ongoing demand for information. He characterized the IRA’s actions as “the most heinous evil I have ever faced.”
The report advises that the UK government and republican leaders acknowledge and express remorse for their shortcomings.
The United Kingdom government stated that it is not able to provide a detailed response to the Kenova investigation until the final report is officially released.
Sinn Féin’s Vice-President, Michelle O’Neill, issued an apology to the families of the victims and acknowledged that republicans cannot deny the pain and harm caused during the Troubles.
At his media briefing, Boutcher honored the decency of the loved ones of those affected. He stated that the Kenova team, currently headed by Iain Livingstone, a former chief constable from Police Scotland, can now move forward with their conclusive report.
When questioned about the possibility of the army or secret services having agents like Stakeknife currently, Boutcher stated that he does not think modern procedures would allow for that to happen in the UK.
The report rejected speculations about Scappaticci’s potential survival and referred to claims that Stakeknife, a highly valued spy, met with Margaret Thatcher and other government officials and had been to Chequers as “baseless nonsense.”
Boutcher suggested that on 21 June, which is the longest day of the year, we should remember those who have been lost, injured or harmed due to the Troubles.
The Public Prosecution Service for Northern Ireland recently announced that there was not enough evidence to charge seven alleged members of the IRA and five former soldiers who were part of the Force Research Unit, the group responsible for managing agent Stakeknife. Out of the five soldiers, three were handlers and the other two held higher ranks.
Source: theguardian.com
