The interim findings of a seven-year investigation into murders linked to the British Army’s most prized mole within the IRA will probably be revealed later.
Freddie Scappaticci, codenamed “Stakeknife”, headed the IRA’s “nutting squad”, a unit tasked with figuring out informants, however was himself working as a spy for British intelligence.
The west Belfast bricklayer, who died final yr aged 77, was linked to 18 murders however by no means confronted trial in relation to any of them.
The son of Italian mother and father, he was a gifted footballer and had trials with Manchester City and Nottingham Forest earlier than becoming a member of the Provisional IRA.
Briefly interned with out trial within the Nineteen Seventies, he was recruited by the military’s Force Research Unit, which ran informants, and was its most valued asset.
One former defence chief branded him “the golden egg” of brokers. In some ways, he exemplified “the dirty war” between British intelligence companies and the IRA.
Described as “judge, jury and executioner” of the IRA unit looking informants inside – folks disparagingly labelled “touts” – some estimate he directed as much as 30 murders.
His actions grew to become the main focus of Operation Kenova, a £40m impartial investigation, launched by Jon Boutcher, a former chief constable of Bedfordshire in 2016.
Mr Boutcher was appointed chief constable in Northern Ireland final yr and handed the Kenova baton to Sir Iain Livingstone, former chief of Police Scotland.
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Operation Kenova submitted 28 information for consideration, however the Public Prosecution Service discovered there was inadequate proof to prosecute any former IRA member or soldier.
The PPS stated 32 folks had been thought-about for prosecution throughout a spread of costs, from homicide and abduction to misconduct in public workplace and perjury.
Sixteen had been former IRA members, 12 retired navy personnel, two had hyperlinks to MI5, one was a former police officer and one other a former prosecutor.
Source: information.sky.com”