Operation Kenova finds Army spy Stakeknife operating within IRA cost more lives than he saved

IRA spy Stakeknife, who climbed to the top of a 'terror and murder squad' probably caused the loss of more lives than he saved, a new report said, Peter Smith reports

A major report into the Army’s top agent in Northern Ireland during the Troubles has been published revealing lives were needlessly lost.

It found those responsible for killings were allowed to remain free to continue with their terrorist activities. The report found there should have been 'alarm bells' ringing within those security organisations responsible.

It said claims Stakeknife saved 'hundreds of lives' were unjustified. And the agent carried out countless attacks and killings. It said lives saved by the activities of the agent would have been in low figures.

It said likening Stakeknife's intelligence to the "goose that laid the golden eggs" as security service personnel did, was rooted in "fables and fairytales".

The agent Stakeknife was widely believed to be west Belfast man Freddie Scappaticci, who was in his 70s when he died last year.

The report makes 10 recommendations among which it calls for an apology from the IRA and the Prime Minister. It also calls for an annual day, June 21, to remember those victims and survivors of Troubles-era crimes.

Sinn Féin’s Michelle O'Neill reiterates her apology for all lives lost during the Troubles

Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton Harris said the government would not be commenting on the interim report and given matters were still progressing through the court system.

The interim findings of Operation Kenova were revealed after an investigation lasting seven years and costing approximately £40 million.

Kenova has probed the activities of the agent Stakeknife within the Provisional IRA. He has not been identified in the report, however, the report authors have called on the government to reveal his identity and expect it to do so in order that it be included in the final Kenova report.

Investigators examined 101 killings and abductions linked to the IRA unit responsible for interrogating and torturing people suspected of passing information to the security forces during the conflict.

Stakeknife was part of the terror group’s internal security unit - known as the 'nutting squad'. and Kenova examined crimes such as murder and torture, and the role played by the security services, including MI5.

The Kenova investigation was originally headed up by Jon Boutcher but he left the position to take up the role of chief constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

Last week the Public Prosecution Service in Northern Ireland announced that no prosecutions would be pursued after consideration of the last batch of files from the investigation.

Some 32 people, including former police, former military personnel and people linked with the IRA, were considered for prosecution on a range of charges from murder and abduction to misconduct in public office and perjury.

However, the PPS found there was insufficient evidence to pursue cases.

The Operation Kenova report stops short of confirming Scappaticci as Stakeknife.

However, it says that the Kenova team had passed “strong evidence of very serious criminality” by Scappaticci to prosecutors in Northern Ireland prior to his death.

The report also dismisses rumours that Scappaticci might still be alive.

Among 10 recommendations in the 208 page report, is a call for the UK authorities to review the application of the Neither Confirm Nor Deny policy (NCND) that currently prevents the identification of agents involved in many historical Troubles cases.

It links the “dogmatic” policy with a failure to secure prosecutions in some Troubles cases.

The report also calls on the UK and the IRA to apologies to bereaved families and victims of the ISU, the security forces for failings amid a “maverick” culture for handling agents and intelligence; and the IRA for the abduction, murder and torture of people it suspected of being agents, and linked campaigns of intimidation against their families.

In the report, Mr Boutcher said “various myths and erroneous stories” have built up around Stakeknife.

He said those within the security forces are defensive about the agent, viewing through “rose tinted spectacles” and claiming Stakeknife potentially saved “hundreds of lives” while people outside the establishment overestimate the number of crimes the agent was responsible for.

Mr Boutcher said the suggestion Stakeknife saved countless lives was not grounded in fact.

“In reality the claims are inherently implausible and should ring alarm bells: any serious security and intelligence professional hearing an agent being likened to ‘the goose that laid the golden eggs’, as Stakeknife was, should be on alert because the comparison is rooted in fables and fairy tales,” he said.

“Stakeknife was undoubtedly a valuable asset who provided high quality intelligence about PIRA at considerable risk to himself, albeit that this intelligence was not always passed on or acted upon and, if more of it had been, he could not have remained in place as long as he did.”

Mr Boutcher said Kenova reviewed around 90% of intelligence reports attributed to Stakeknife.

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 and “nowhere near” the hundreds that have been claimed.

“Crucially this is not a net estimate because it does not take account of the lives lost as a consequence of Stakeknife’s continued operation as an agent,” he added.

“And, from what I have seen, I think it probable that this resulted in more lives being lost than saved.

“Furthermore, there were undoubtedly occasions when Stakeknife ignored his handlers, acted outside his tasking and did things he should not have done and when very serious risks were run."

Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris, said: "There can be no doubt that the way Operation Kenova has conducted its work since being commissioned in 2016 has gained the trust of many families who have long been seeking answers as to what exactly happened when their loved ones were so brutally murdered by, and on the orders of, the Provisional IRA.

"Over 3,500 people from all parts of the community were killed during the Troubles and tens of thousands more injured. Over 1,000 of those killed were members of the security forces. Their bravery, courage, dedication and sacrifice in seeking to uphold democracy and the rule of law must never be forgotten.

We must remember too that the vast majority of deaths during the Troubles, around 90%, were perpetrated by terrorist organisations - in the substance of this report, by the Provisional IRA.

"As this is an “interim” report, I will not comment at this time on behalf of the government on the detail of the report. It contains several specific, very serious allegations that remain subject to consideration by the courts.

"It would not be right for the government to make any comment on the substance of the Interim Report until the conclusion of litigation related to it.

"I note the recent decisions made by the Public Prosecution Service for Northern Ireland in relation to files passed to them by Operation Kenova, which once again go to show how difficult it is to achieve criminal justice outcomes in legacy cases. Due to numerous related civil cases, however, that remain ongoing, it would be inappropriate to comment further at this time. There is also the prospect of appeals against any of the recent decisions made by the Director for Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland.

"I would like to put on record again my deepest sympathy with all the families who lost loved ones during the Troubles - including as a result of the actions of the Provisional IRA."

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