This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/feb/05/stakeknife-army-whistleblower-to-testify-on-ira-double-agent
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Army whistleblower to testify on IRA double agent Stakeknife Army whistleblower to testify on IRA double agent Stakeknife | |
| (3 months later) | |
| A military intelligence whistleblower who exposed one of the British Army’s top spies within the IRA is prepared to give evidence in court against the agent known as “Stakeknife”, the Guardian can reveal. | A military intelligence whistleblower who exposed one of the British Army’s top spies within the IRA is prepared to give evidence in court against the agent known as “Stakeknife”, the Guardian can reveal. |
| Ian Hurst, a former NCO in the army’s covert Force Research Unit (FRU), which handled informers inside republican and loyalist paramilitary groups, is also prepared to talk to the police force assigned to investigate the scandal, sources close to the ex-soldier said. | Ian Hurst, a former NCO in the army’s covert Force Research Unit (FRU), which handled informers inside republican and loyalist paramilitary groups, is also prepared to talk to the police force assigned to investigate the scandal, sources close to the ex-soldier said. |
| The chief constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, George Hamilton, confirmed on Thursday that up to £7m may be spent investigating the activities of Stakeknife, identified as Freddie Scappaticci, when he was allegedly head of the IRA’s spy-catching unit while working for British military intelligence at the same time. | The chief constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, George Hamilton, confirmed on Thursday that up to £7m may be spent investigating the activities of Stakeknife, identified as Freddie Scappaticci, when he was allegedly head of the IRA’s spy-catching unit while working for British military intelligence at the same time. |
| The inquiry could last up to five years with around 50 murders being reinvestigated, Hamilton said. | The inquiry could last up to five years with around 50 murders being reinvestigated, Hamilton said. |
| An outside police force will carry out the investigation, and its main task will be to determine whether the FRU’s prize intelligence asset in the IRA was allowed to preside over the deaths of dozens of fellow republicans accused of being informers. | An outside police force will carry out the investigation, and its main task will be to determine whether the FRU’s prize intelligence asset in the IRA was allowed to preside over the deaths of dozens of fellow republicans accused of being informers. |
| The Stakeknife inquiry could be the largest ever criminal investigation into one individual involved in Northern Ireland’s Troubles. | The Stakeknife inquiry could be the largest ever criminal investigation into one individual involved in Northern Ireland’s Troubles. |
| In 2003 author Greg Harkin, with Hurst’s help, named Scappaticci as Stakeknife. The Belfast republican has denied he was the agent whom the former commanding officer of the army in Northern Ireland, General Sir John Wisley, described as “our most important secret … a golden egg, something that was very important to the army”. | In 2003 author Greg Harkin, with Hurst’s help, named Scappaticci as Stakeknife. The Belfast republican has denied he was the agent whom the former commanding officer of the army in Northern Ireland, General Sir John Wisley, described as “our most important secret … a golden egg, something that was very important to the army”. |
| Hurst is understood to be ready to cooperate with whichever police force takes over the inquiry, and is willing to speak in court about the agent’s work for FRU within the IRA. | Hurst is understood to be ready to cooperate with whichever police force takes over the inquiry, and is willing to speak in court about the agent’s work for FRU within the IRA. |
| The former FRU operative could provide vital evidence about the claims that Stakeknife’s senior army handlers turned a blind eye to his role in the interrogation and murder of scores of IRA members who were suspected of being informers. | The former FRU operative could provide vital evidence about the claims that Stakeknife’s senior army handlers turned a blind eye to his role in the interrogation and murder of scores of IRA members who were suspected of being informers. |
| On the BBC’s The View political programme on Thursday night, Hamilton said “we’re probably looking at £7m per annum when it gets up and running at full tilt”. | On the BBC’s The View political programme on Thursday night, Hamilton said “we’re probably looking at £7m per annum when it gets up and running at full tilt”. |
| He added: “We need to get the leadership in place and we need to put some infrastructure in place first, then we need to populate the investigative teams so that they can be deployed.” | He added: “We need to get the leadership in place and we need to put some infrastructure in place first, then we need to populate the investigative teams so that they can be deployed.” |
| After being named as one of Britain’s key spies inside the Provisional IRA in 2003, Scappaticci left Northern Ireland. Now in his 70s, he has gone to court to prevent the media from identifying where he now lives, and bar journalists from approaching him for interviews. | After being named as one of Britain’s key spies inside the Provisional IRA in 2003, Scappaticci left Northern Ireland. Now in his 70s, he has gone to court to prevent the media from identifying where he now lives, and bar journalists from approaching him for interviews. |
| Scappaticci, the grandson of Italian immigrants, was said to be a “walk-in” agent who volunteered to work for the FRU in the 1980s after a major falling out with IRA leaders in Belfast. | Scappaticci, the grandson of Italian immigrants, was said to be a “walk-in” agent who volunteered to work for the FRU in the 1980s after a major falling out with IRA leaders in Belfast. |
| A number of families of IRA members shot dead as informers after interrogation by the organisation’s “headhunters” have made complaints to the police ombudsman, claiming that Stakeknife’s handlers in the security forces failed to use their agent inside the Provisionals to prevent their murders. Many of these families have alleged that their loved ones were “sacrificed” by the security forces to keep Stakeknife at the head of the IRA’s counter-intelligence unit where he could provide the state with invaluable insider information. | A number of families of IRA members shot dead as informers after interrogation by the organisation’s “headhunters” have made complaints to the police ombudsman, claiming that Stakeknife’s handlers in the security forces failed to use their agent inside the Provisionals to prevent their murders. Many of these families have alleged that their loved ones were “sacrificed” by the security forces to keep Stakeknife at the head of the IRA’s counter-intelligence unit where he could provide the state with invaluable insider information. |