A cross-party committee of MPs is calling on the Government to formally name Stakeknife – a British Army agent who worked within the IRA in the 1980s and was suspected of direct involvement in numerous murders.
In a report published today, the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee concludes that revealing the identity of Stakeknife would be strongly in the public interest and help build trust and confidence in the agencies of the state among all communities.
The recommendation follows last month’s evidence session on Operation Kenova where the Committee heard from the current and former lead officers of the investigation, which was set up to examine Stakeknife’s activities during the Troubles in Northern Ireland.
Operation Kenova was unable to confirm Stakeknife’s identity in last year’s final report after the Government refused its authorisation to do so, while successive governments have cited the long standing policy of ‘Neither Confirm Nor Deny’ (NCND).
Today’s report from MPs says that the Committee has been reassured that formal identification would not put any active agents at risk, discourage existing agents from continuing their work, or deter the recruitment of new agents.
Naming Stakeknife would also indicate to agents guilty of conduct beyond acceptable limits that they will not be protected or shielded from the consequences of their actions, the Committee concludes.
Tonia Antoniazzi MP, Chair of the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee, said: “As Operation Kenova’s final report makes clear, the ongoing refusal to confirm or deny Stakeknife’s identity is having a profound and lasting effect on victims and their families who have already been through so much.
“Given the reassurances we’ve heard that active agents won’t be put in harm’s way and future recruitment won’t be compromised, formal identification in this specific instance is appropriate, proportionate and in the public interest.
“By naming Stakeknife, the Government can send a strong signal that agents who cross a line will not receive the protection of anonymity and help to build trust and confidence across all communities in Northern Ireland.”
The Committee recommends that the Government should review, in consultation with MI5 and PSNI, the application of NCND in all legacy related cases, considering specifically the principles outlined in this Report.
The Committee also plans to monitor Government progress on the implementation of Operation Kenova’s other conclusions and recommendations.
Stakeknife has been widely identified as Freddie Scappaticci, who died in 2023.
Head of Kenova Sir Iain Livingstone has called for the UK Government to publicly name Stakeknife after publishing its final report which detailed how the agent had committed “grotesque serious crime” including torture and murder.
Sir Iain also urged Government to use the principles of the Kenova model for legacy investigations as he presented the 164-page document to his predecessor, and current Chief Constable of Police Service of Northern Ireland, Jon Boutcher marking an end to the nine-year investigation into Stakeknife’s offending and state handling. The Kenova final report also outlined the other separate enquiries carried out by the Kenova team, namely Operations Mizzenmast, Turma and Denton.
The report contains updates on the 10 recommendations made in the Interim Report published in 2024 and urged Government to depart from the Neither Confirm Nor Deny policy (NCND) in regard to Stakeknife on grounds of public interest.
Sir Iain said: “Having spent my life in policing and justice, I support NCND and know its value. Although the policy’s definition and use require review, Kenova has no intention to undermine NCND.
“However, NCND must be exercised in a proportionate and necessary manner and should not be an absolute bar to providing truth and justice. It cannot be used to protect agents who commit grotesque serious crime, leaving victims and families ignored and their demands for information and answers dismissed.
“As this Final Report makes clear, we in Kenova believe there is a compelling ethical case for the UK government to derogate from the NCND policy regarding the agent Stakeknife’s identity. It is in the public interest that Stakeknife is named.”
Stakeknife findings
Operation Kenova was initially set up to investigate the activities of the alleged army agent ‘Stakeknife’ within the Provisional Irish Republican Army’s Internal Security Unit.
The Final Report provides an overview of Stakeknife’s time as an informant, from his recruitment in the late 1970s through to the early 1990s. Investigators discovered a military unit known as the ‘Rat Hole’ was set up solely to assist the management of Stakeknife, and he was given a dedicated phone line which he could call at any time.
In total Kenova discovered 3,517 intelligence reports from Stakeknife including 377 in an 18-month period.
However, it found that ‘time and again’ the reports were not acted upon, with the protection of the agent apparently more important than protecting those who could and should have been saved.
The investigation revealed evidence of Stakeknife’s involvement in serious and unjustifiable criminality, including kidnap, interrogation and murder.
Prosecution files submitted to the Public Prosecution Service for Northern Ireland implicated Stakeknife in 14 murders and the abduction of a further 15 individuals.
MI5 further material recovered
The report outlines state failures around the handling of Stakeknife and describes the late discovery of further material by MI5 after publication of the Kenova Interim Report in 2024. The further material revealed MI5 had earlier and greater knowledge of the agent than previously stated.
Sir Iain said: “While the information in the additional files would not have altered prosecutorial decisions, further investigative opportunities were undoubtedly lost.
“The very fact that material owned and held by MI5 was not timeously disclosed understandably undermined the confidence of communities that state authorities had cooperated fully with Kenova. It was a significant failure on the part of MI5.”
Recovered evidence
The report details how Kenova investigators were able to use new techniques to re-examine exhibits seized during initial investigations such as tapings which had been used to bind or blindfold victims.
These tapings, along with bullet casings, confession tapes and letters and a firearm allowed detectives to identify suspects and even a victim of a non-fatal punishment shooting who was subsequently located as a key witness.
Scientific examination of these exhibits recovered DNA profiles and linked offences or suspects.
Future of legacy investigations
The report refers to the Northern Ireland Troubles Bill, which will repeal the 2023 Legacy Act and establish a reformed Legacy Commission and a joint Independent Commission for Information Retrieval.
In welcoming the new Bill, Sir Iain suggested there was an opportunity to build upon the experience of Kenova to ensure comprehensive, independent investigations and a focus on victims.
Sir Iain said: “Kenova has shown that the truth can be uncovered, but it requires determination, independence, and a commitment to those victims and families. Our work demonstrates the need for rigorous, transparent investigations and for the interests of those most affected to be placed at the centre of legacy processes.
“It is also crucial that sufficient investigative powers and resources are allocated to a reformed Legacy Commission to ensure every piece of available information is accessed and that families are given the whole truth of what happened to their loved ones.
“The lessons from Kenova should inform the new legacy legislation.”
Mizzenmast and Turma
The Kenova Final Report outlines the additional investigations and reviews that PSNI asked Kenova to conduct beyond its initial commission regarding the conduct of the agent Stakeknife.
It summarises Operation Mizzenmast, the investigation into the murder of Jean Smyth-Campbell in 1972, and gives an overview of the background to Operation Turma, the murders of Sergeant Sean Quinn and Constables Paul Hamilton and Allan McCloy in an explosion at Kinnego Embankment in 1982.
Denton
Operation Denton was a thematic review of sectarian attacks by loyalist paramilitaries, referred to as the Glenanne series, between 1972 and 1978. The review examined over 98 incidents resulting in 127 deaths, assessing allegations of collusion between security forces and loyalist terrorists.
It found clear evidence of collusion by some security force members who committed or facilitated horrific acts of sectarian violence including murder. The review also addressed previous investigations and the impact on victims and families, emphasising the importance of transparency and engagement.
The review concluded that no discrete ‘Glenanne gang’ existed but rather there was a broader network involving loyalist paramilitaries and some corrupt security force members. While collusion at the individual level was evident, some of it long established before Denton was initiated, there was no evidence of collusion at a political or strategic level. Denton’s findings included that the Belfast UVF was responsible for the Dublin and Monaghan bombings.
With regard to the entirety of Kenova’s work, Sir Iain said: “The Kenova team has worked intensely to seek answers, provide explanations and pursue justice. At times some of our findings did not align with what victims and families expected. However, our duty was to seek the truth relentlessly and then share as fully as we could with those who deserved to hear it and who had endured the traumatic attacks.
“Victims and families from the Troubles consistently demonstrate dignity and grace in the face of appalling suffering from brutal terrorism, at times compounded by state failures to act legitimately or with empathy and care.
“Kenova has from the outset put the interests of victims and families at the heart of its approach. We learned that an outcome through the criminal justice process may in fact not always be achievable or even what is desired. Kenova detectives prioritised listening and being responsive to questions unanswered for decades.
“This authentic engagement with victims and families is a key factor which distinguishes Kenova and must be adopted if the reformed legacy arrangements are to succeed.”
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Hilary Benn MP, has responded to the Operation Kenova Final Report into the activities of an alleged agent known as ‘STEAK KNIFE’, which has been published by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).
The Secretary of State said: “I want to begin by commending the Kenova team, led by Sir Iain Livingstone and Jon Boutcher, for the exemplary way they carried out their work, built trust with families, put victims first and provided many answers about what happened to their loved ones.
“Operation Turma, which was part of Kenova, resulted in the prosecution of an individual, now extradited from Ireland and awaiting trial, for the murder of three RUC officers in 1982.
‘Kenova has set a standard for future legacy investigations, and we have drawn on a number of those lessons in drafting the Troubles Bill.
“I wish to express my heartfelt condolences to all the families who lost loved ones in the appalling circumstances described in this sobering report.
“Operation Kenova was asked to establish whether there was evidence of criminal offences by the alleged agent known as STEAK KNIFE, or their alleged handlers.
“The behaviour described of the alleged agent, and their role in the Provisional IRA, is deeply disturbing. It should not have happened, and in recent decades, there have been significant reforms to agent handling practice, including through legislation. The use of agents is nowadays subject to strict regulation, overseen by the Investigatory Powers Commissioner and the Investigatory Powers Tribunal.
“On Operation Kenova’s request to the Government to name STEAK KNIFE, I told Sir Iain Livingstone in August that: “Due to ongoing litigation relevant to the Neither Confirm Nor Deny [NCND] policy, namely the Thompson Supreme Court appeal, a substantive and final response to your request will be provided after judgment has issued in that case.”
“The Government’s first duty is of course to protect national security, and identifying agents risks jeopardising this.
“Today’s Report also makes public the high-level findings of Operation Denton, which looked at killings carried out by the UVF Glennane Gang. The behaviour reported on, including collusion by individual members of the security forces, is shocking.
“The Government will respond to the full Denton Report when it is published, bearing in mind that there are related legal proceedings ongoing in this case and in the case of STEAK KNIFE.”
Stakeknife has been identified by the press as FREDDIE SCAPPATICCI, a leading member of the Provisional IRA’s notorious Internal Security Unit known as The Nutting Squad. He was involved in 14 murders and the abduction of a further 15 people during The Troubles. Scappaticci died in 2023.
The Secretary of State told Parliament this afternoon (11 September) of his decision to establish an independent inquiry under the Inquiries Act 2005 into the murder of Patrick Finucane:
With permission, Mr Speaker, I would like to make a statement about the death of Patrick Finucane.
Patrick Finucane was a human rights lawyer. On 12 February 1989 he was brutally murdered in his home in North Belfast by the loyalist paramilitary group, the Ulster Defence Association in front of his wife, Geraldine, who was wounded, and his three children, one of whom is now the Honourable Member for Belfast North.
From that day onwards, Mrs Finucane and her family have campaigned tirelessly in search of answers about the killing of their loved one.
In 1990 an inquest was opened and closed on the same day with an open verdict.
Subsequently, a number of investigations and reviews were conducted.
In 2001, following the collapse of power sharing, the UK and Irish governments agreed at Weston Park to establish public inquiries into a number of Troubles-related cases, if recommended by an international judge.
Judge Peter Cory was appointed to conduct a review of each case and in 2004 he recommended that the UK Government hold public inquiries into four deaths: those of Rosemary Nelson, Robert Hamill, Billy Wright, and Patrick Finucane.
Judge Cory also recommended that the Irish Government establish a tribunal of inquiry into the deaths of former RUC officers Bob Buchanan and Harry Breen.
Inquiries were promptly established in all of these cases, with one exception – the death of Mr Finucane.
Meanwhile, in 2003 the third investigation by Sir John Stevens into alleged collusion between the security forces and Loyalist paramilitaries had concluded that there had been state collusion in Mr Finucane’s killing.
That investigation was followed by the conviction, in 2004, of one of those responsible, Ken Barrett.
With criminal proceedings concluded, the then Northern Ireland Secretary, Paul Murphy, made a statement to Parliament setting out the Government’s commitment to establish an inquiry. But despite a number of attempts, the Government was unable to reach agreement with the Finucane family on arrangements for one.
In 2011, the coalition government decided against an inquiry. Instead, a review of what had happened – led by Sir Desmond de Silva QC – was established. Sir Desmond concluded that he was left “in no doubt that agents of the State were involved in carrying out serious violations of human rights up to and including murder.”
The publication of his findings in 2012 led the then-Prime Minister, David Cameron, to make an unprecedented apology from this despatch box to the Finucane family on behalf of the British Government, citing the “shocking levels of State collusion” in this case.
In 2019, the Supreme Court found that all the previous investigations had been insufficient to enable the State to discharge its obligations under Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
The Court identified a number of deficiencies in the State’s compliance with Article 2. In particular, Sir Desmond’s review did not have the power to compel the attendance of witnesses; those who met Sir Desmond were not subject to testing as to the accuracy of their evidence; and a potentially critical witness was excused from attendance.
In November 2020 the then Secretary of State for Northern Ireland announced that he would not be establishing a public inquiry at that time, pending the outcome of continuing investigations, but that decision was quashed by the Northern Ireland High Court in December 2022.
Mr Speaker, this Government takes its human rights obligations – and its responsibilities to victims and survivors of the Troubles – extremely seriously.
And the plain fact is that two decades on, the commitment made by the Government – first in the agreement with the Irish Government, and then to this House – to establish an inquiry into the death of Mr Finucane remains unfulfilled.
It is for this exceptional reason that I have decided to establish an independent inquiry into the death of Patrick Finucane under the 2005 Inquiries Act.
I have, of course, met Mrs Finucane and her family. First on 25 July to hear their views, and again yesterday, to inform them of my decision. Mrs Finucane asked the Government to set up a public inquiry under the 2005 Act and – as I have just told the House – the Government has now agreed to do that, in line with both the 2019 Supreme Court ruling and the Court of Appeal judgement in July this year.
In making this decision, I have, as is required, considered the likely costs and impact on the public finances. It is the Government’s expectation that the inquiry will – while doing everything that is required to discharge the State’s human rights obligations – avoid unnecessary costs given all the previous reviews and investigations, and the large amount of information and material that is already in the public domain.
Indeed, in the most recent High Court proceedings, the Judge suggested that an inquiry could “build on the significant investigative foundations which are already in place”.
Mr Speaker, as part of my decision-making process, I did also consider whether to refer this case to the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery. The Commission has powers comparable to those provided by the Inquiries Act to compel witnesses and to secure the disclosure of relevant documents by state bodies – powers identified by the Supreme Court as being crucial for the Government to discharge its human rights obligations.
The Commission was found in separate proceedings in February this year by the High Court to be sufficiently independent and capable of conducting Article 2 compliant investigations, and while I am committed to considering measures to further strengthen the Commission, I have every confidence in its ability, under the leadership of Sir Declan Morgan, to find answers for survivors and families.
However, given the unique circumstances of this case, and the solemn commitment made by the Government in 2001 and again in 2004, the only appropriate way forward is to establish a public inquiry.
Mr Speaker, many of us in this House remember the savage brutality of the Troubles – a truly terrible time in our history – and we must never forget that most of the deaths and injuries were the responsibility of paramilitaries, including the Ulster Defence Association, the Provisional IRA, and others, and we should also – always – pay tribute to the work during that time of the Armed Forces, police and security services, the vast majority of whom served with distinction and honour, and so many of whom sacrificed their lives in protecting others.
It is very hard for any of us to understand fully the trauma of those who lost loved ones – sons and daughters, spouses and partners, fathers and mothers – and what they have been through, and there is of course nothing that any of us can do to bring them back or to erase the deep pain that was caused.
But what we can do is to seek transparency to help provide answers to families, and to work together for a better future for Northern Ireland which has made so much progress since these terrible events. I hope that this inquiry will – finally – provide the information that the Finucane family has sought for so long.
The Government will seek to appoint a Chair of the Inquiry and establish its Terms of Reference as soon as possible, and I will update the House further.
Mr Speaker, I commend this Statement to the House.
‘After 35 years of cover-ups, it is time for truth’
STATEMENT BY GERALDINE FINUCANE ON BEHALF OF THE FINUCANE FAMILY
I welcome the announcement of the Secretary of State in the House of Commons today, that an independent statutory public inquiry will be established into the murder of my husband, Patrick Finucane.
After 35 years of campaigning for such an inquiry, I believe this announcement represents a significant step forward for my family in our fight to uncover all of the circumstances behind Pat’s murder.
It has been a long journey to get to the point where the establishment of an independent public inquiry has finally become a reality. I look forward to having the opportunity to participate in a statutory inquiry and expose publicly the whole truth behind the murder of my husband.
This has always been the objective of the campaign that my family and I have pursued for 35 years. We have only ever been concerned with uncovering the truth. It is this that has kept us going.
It is the thing that has been missing, all these years. We did not believe that his murder was simply the work of gunmen who killed him. We had no confidence that police investigations would ever bring those truly responsible to justice.
We were not satisfied with private, limited reviews from which we were excluded. We could not and did not accept the assurances of previous British governments that they were anxious to set the record straight, because they were never prepared to do so in public.
An independent, statutory public inquiry is and was the only way to bring the whole truth behind the murder of Pat Finucane into the light of day.
The journey to this point is not one that my family and I have had to endure alone. Indeed, we would never have succeeded without the assistance and support and encouragement of so many people over the years.
I could not begin to thank them all by name here today. So many people, all over the world, were willing to give generously of their time and talent again and again. I want to record my heartfelt thanks and gratitude to each and every one of them.
We would not be here today without them.
However, I would like to single out one person out for special mention, and that is Peter Madden. Peter was my husband’s business partner and friend, throughout Pat’s all-too-short legal career.
He has been a source of unending strength and resilience. I cannot thank him enough for what he has done for my family, or, indeed, the entire legal team that has represented us so fearlessly and brilliantly in our fight for a public inquiry.
Most of all, I believe this inquiry can be a watershed moment in the difficult subject of legacy in this part of our island. If a public inquiry in to the murder of Pat Finucane can finally publicly examine all of the collusion that plagued our society for so many years, then there is hope that the real process of healing can begin.
The murder of Pat Finucane is the last remaining Weston Park case. It is high time it was properly investigated, publicly examined, and finally resolved.
I believe that my family deserve this after so many years. Pat Finucane deserves this after so many years. Society as a whole deserves this, after so many years.
After 35 years of cover-ups, it is time for truth.
MORE COMMENTS:
IRISH TAOISEACH SIMON HARRIS
MICHEAL MARTIN, IRISH MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS
I welcome the announcement that the Finucane family has secured a public inquiry into the killing of their beloved father and husband, Pat Finucane.
Today is a testament to the unwavering spirit and resolve of Pat’s wife, Geraldine, and their children, Katherine, Michael, and John.
The Finucane family’s determination and dignity throughout 35 years of the most difficult of campaigning has brought about this landmark day.
Their campaign has been an inspiration to all families struggling for truth and justice. I will continue to support the Finucane family as they continue on their journey towards truth and justice for Pat.
MICHELLE O’NEILL, FIRST MINISTER – NORTHERN IRELAND ASSEMBLY
The UK Government will introduce legislation today (Tuesday 17 May) that seeks to address the legacy of the Troubles in Northern Ireland.
The Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Bill will put in place an effective investigations and information recovery process, underpinned by robust and independent investigations, to provide answers for families, deliver on commitments to those who served in Northern Ireland, and help society to look forward.
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Rt Hon Brandon Lewis MP said: ““The years of the Troubles were an awful period in our history with tragic loss of life across communities. After the signing of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement, challenging compromises were rightly made in support of the peace process – addressing the legacy of the Troubles comprehensively and fairly is another such step forward.
“The current system is failing; it is delivering neither truth nor justice for the vast majority of families. It is letting down victims and veterans alike.
“Every family who lost a loved one, no matter who they were, will be provided with more information than ever before about the circumstances of their death.
“A robust and independent investigations process will be at the heart of this approach, supported by an ambitious and comprehensive oral history programme that will allow people to tell their stories and share their experiences.
“And there will not be any automatic access to immunity; it is right that those involved in an investigation cannot obtain ‘something for nothing.’ Immunity will be provided to individuals who cooperate, which provides the best route to give victims and their families answers they have sought for years as well as giving our veterans the certainty they deserve.”
Following an extensive period of engagement, the Government has amended previous proposals set out in a Command Paper last year to ensure they better meet the needs of those most impacted by the Troubles.
The legislation will ensure that legacy issues are addressed comprehensively and fairly, and in a way that supports information recovery and reconciliation, complies fully with international human rights obligations and responds to the needs of victims and survivors, and society as a whole.
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has also announced the UK Government’s intention to commission an Official History relating to the Troubles.
Conducted by independent historians, and underpinned by unprecedented access to the UK documentary record, this will provide an authoritative and in-depth examination of the UK Government’s policy towards Northern Ireland during the conflict.
The Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Bill will include the following provisions:
For victims and survivors, a new independent body – the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR) – will conduct investigations, consistent with our international obligations, to provide answers for those who want them, in a process supported by full state disclosure and with the power to compel witnesses.
The ICRIR will grant immunity from prosecution, based on an individual’s cooperation with the body’s inquiries. Those who do not cooperate with the independent body will not be granted immunity, and will remain liable to prosecution should sufficient evidence exist, or come to light.
Alongside producing reports on cases it has investigated, the body will also produce a historical record of what is known in relation to all other deaths that occurred during the Troubles.
A package of memorialisation measures centred on an ambitious, expert-led oral history initiative that will encourage people from all backgrounds to share their experiences and perspectives of the Troubles, and to listen to those of others.
Spotlight On The Troubles: A Secret History, the seven-part landmark series from BBC Northern Ireland, concludes on Tuesday night with a 90-minute film looking at how the Troubles in Northern Ireland came to an end.
It will be accompanied by an hour-long film looking behind the scenes at the process of investigative journalism throughout the series.
