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| Shadow Dancer gets mixed verdict from ex-IRA infiltrators | Shadow Dancer gets mixed verdict from ex-IRA infiltrators |
| (25 days later) | |
| Two agents who infiltrated the IRA have offered radically different interpretations of Shadow Dancer, the acclaimed new film about a female informer working for Britain inside the republican terror group. | Two agents who infiltrated the IRA have offered radically different interpretations of Shadow Dancer, the acclaimed new film about a female informer working for Britain inside the republican terror group. |
| Sean O'Callaghan, whom a former Irish prime minister described as the Republic's most important agent inside the Provisional IRA, said the movie was a "real and true" portrayal of what life was like for an informer inside a terrorist organisation. | Sean O'Callaghan, whom a former Irish prime minister described as the Republic's most important agent inside the Provisional IRA, said the movie was a "real and true" portrayal of what life was like for an informer inside a terrorist organisation. |
| But Martin McGartland, who worked as a British state agent inside the IRA's Belfast Brigade during the late 1980s and early 90s, disputed the film's authenticity. | But Martin McGartland, who worked as a British state agent inside the IRA's Belfast Brigade during the late 1980s and early 90s, disputed the film's authenticity. |
| The pair agreed to review the film for the Guardian drawing on their insider knowledge of the IRA as well as their respective experiences with handlers in the security forces. | The pair agreed to review the film for the Guardian drawing on their insider knowledge of the IRA as well as their respective experiences with handlers in the security forces. |
| The film is based on a novel by the ITN political correspondent Tom Bradby. It tells the story of Colette McVeigh, who is turned by MI5 from an IRA bomber in London into a British agent working to undermine the Provisionals from within. | The film is based on a novel by the ITN political correspondent Tom Bradby. It tells the story of Colette McVeigh, who is turned by MI5 from an IRA bomber in London into a British agent working to undermine the Provisionals from within. |
| O'Callaghan, who worked inside the IRA's southern command to thwart their operations in Ireland and Britain, including an attempt to assassinate Prince Charles and Princess Diana, said the film captured the "pervasive paranoia and brutality" within the organisation. | O'Callaghan, who worked inside the IRA's southern command to thwart their operations in Ireland and Britain, including an attempt to assassinate Prince Charles and Princess Diana, said the film captured the "pervasive paranoia and brutality" within the organisation. |
| The Kerry-born republican turned agent singled out scenes in which McVeigh is caught trying to bomb London as an example of the film's accuracy. In the film, an MI5 officer named Mac turns McVeigh after she is arrested carrying a bomb on the tube into central London. | The Kerry-born republican turned agent singled out scenes in which McVeigh is caught trying to bomb London as an example of the film's accuracy. In the film, an MI5 officer named Mac turns McVeigh after she is arrested carrying a bomb on the tube into central London. |
| "Having once been sent on an IRA mission to London while working for the Irish police, I can certainly understand her [McVeigh's] apprehension at the prospect of the IRA debriefing awaiting her," O'Callaghan said. "Colette's dependence on Mac is real, her fear is pervasive. The movie captures all of this brilliantly whilst leaving the viewer with some disturbing questions. | "Having once been sent on an IRA mission to London while working for the Irish police, I can certainly understand her [McVeigh's] apprehension at the prospect of the IRA debriefing awaiting her," O'Callaghan said. "Colette's dependence on Mac is real, her fear is pervasive. The movie captures all of this brilliantly whilst leaving the viewer with some disturbing questions. |
| "How true is real life to Shadow Dancer? All one can say with clarity is that in a world where the IRA's chief informer-hunter was himself a British agent [the spy Freddie Scapatticci, alias Stakeknife], nothing can be ruled out. Shadow Dancer casts a light on this all too real and deadly world of smoke and mirrors." | "How true is real life to Shadow Dancer? All one can say with clarity is that in a world where the IRA's chief informer-hunter was himself a British agent [the spy Freddie Scapatticci, alias Stakeknife], nothing can be ruled out. Shadow Dancer casts a light on this all too real and deadly world of smoke and mirrors." |
| McGartland questioned some of the details of the film, in particular the secret meetings between McVeigh and her MI5 handler. "MI5 nor the RUC Special Branch would ever meet any agent or informer at the same place, the same time, day, each week. Nor would they let one MI5, RUC person go alone to that meeting," he said. | McGartland questioned some of the details of the film, in particular the secret meetings between McVeigh and her MI5 handler. "MI5 nor the RUC Special Branch would ever meet any agent or informer at the same place, the same time, day, each week. Nor would they let one MI5, RUC person go alone to that meeting," he said. |
| He also questioned the validity of McVeigh having a panic button in her bedroom to contact her MI5 handler. "I had a panic button, but it was concealed in a radio. Mine was very well hidden. I would never have left it lying around the house, especially the bedroom." | He also questioned the validity of McVeigh having a panic button in her bedroom to contact her MI5 handler. "I had a panic button, but it was concealed in a radio. Mine was very well hidden. I would never have left it lying around the house, especially the bedroom." |
| McGartland was a former petty criminal whom RUC Special Branch persuaded to join the IRA in order to disrupt their activities in Belfast, and he stressed there was a difference between IRA members who were turned, as in the film, and agents recruited to infiltrate the group. | McGartland was a former petty criminal whom RUC Special Branch persuaded to join the IRA in order to disrupt their activities in Belfast, and he stressed there was a difference between IRA members who were turned, as in the film, and agents recruited to infiltrate the group. |
| He survived two attempts by the IRA to kill him, and the story of his experiences inside the IRA was portrayed in the film Fifty Dead Men Walking. | He survived two attempts by the IRA to kill him, and the story of his experiences inside the IRA was portrayed in the film Fifty Dead Men Walking. |
| In a parallel between McGartland's story and Shadow Dancer, one of McVeigh's brothers is subjected to waterboard-style drowning in a bath as an IRA security team try to make him confess to being an informer. McGartland escaped from an IRA security squad in a west Belfast flat after seeing a water-filled bath and realising he was about to be tortured. | In a parallel between McGartland's story and Shadow Dancer, one of McVeigh's brothers is subjected to waterboard-style drowning in a bath as an IRA security team try to make him confess to being an informer. McGartland escaped from an IRA security squad in a west Belfast flat after seeing a water-filled bath and realising he was about to be tortured. |
| Despite the Provisional IRA decommissioning their illegal arsenal and winding up as a paramilitary organisation, McGartland and O'Callaghan remain under the threat of assassination. Two years ago the Real IRA said all informers and agents who betrayed the Provisionals were still regarded as traitors to republicanism. | Despite the Provisional IRA decommissioning their illegal arsenal and winding up as a paramilitary organisation, McGartland and O'Callaghan remain under the threat of assassination. Two years ago the Real IRA said all informers and agents who betrayed the Provisionals were still regarded as traitors to republicanism. |
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