Stakeknife: Operation Kenova report into IRA spy due next year

Belfast man Fred Scappaticci denies he was Stakeknife, an Army agent within the IRA

An interim report on the findings of a major investigation covering the Army agent within the IRA known as Stakeknife will be published next year.

His activities have been the subject of a multi-million pound investigation known as Operation Kenova.

The Public Prosecution Service (PPS) is currently assessing 30 volumes of evidence before deciding on potential charges, including murder.

The Kenova report is scheduled to be made public by next November.

The individual given the codename Stakeknife is alleged to be west Belfast man Freddie Scappaticci, but he has denied the claim.

Mr Scappaticci left Northern Ireland in 2003, after several media outlets published allegations that he was the secret Army agent who operated at a high level within the IRA for several years.

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The Operation Kenova investigation is headed by the former chief constable of Bedfordshire Police, Jon Boutcher, and has extended to other murders, including those carried out the Ulster Volunteer Force's Glenanne gang.

Actions of the IRA, MI5, agents, the police and the Army have all fallen under the microscope.

The report will focus on which organisations were involved in dozens of murders, whether there was state involvement and what other criminal conduct occurred.

Mr Boutcher said: "At the outset of Kenova I made a promise to all affected families that I would produce a public-facing report outlining our findings to give them the truth of what happened, including who was involved and in what capacity.

"After five years, we are now in a position to start preparing for the interim report's release."

He has begun a short consultation process on the report's protocols.

'Finding and reporting the truth'

"I'm keen to stress the protocol is a process map only," Mr Boutcher added.

"I am acutely conscious that different stakeholders with different perspectives are concerned that our report will say either too much or too little.

"The aim of the protocol is to ensure that we do neither. I am committed to finding and reporting the truth openly and transparently and without fear or favour towards any party.

"I simply need to find a process which will allow me to do this fairly and lawfully."

A draft protocol document, published on the Operation Kenova website, states the interim report will only be published if the prosecution service is satisfied it would not prejudice any criminal proceedings.

A final, more detailed Kenova report would await the conclusion of any cases.

Who is Stakeknife?

Mr Scappaticci left Northern Ireland in 2003 when he was identified by the media as Stakeknife

Fred Scappaticci is alleged to have been the most high-ranking British agent within the Provisional IRA, an individual given the codename Stakeknife.

Now in his 70s, Mr Scappaticci was the grandson of an Italian immigrant who came to Northern Ireland in search of work.

In 2003, he told the BBC he had been involved in the republican movement but denied claims he was Stakeknife.

Mr Scappaticci left Northern Ireland 18 years ago, when the media first published the allegations identifying him as the Army agent.

Stakeknife is believed to have led the IRA's internal security unit, known as "the nutting squad".

It was responsible for identifying and interrogating suspected informers.

This article was updated on 9 December 2021.