Stakeknife: Government Operation Kenova response criticised

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

The SDLP has criticised the government for not issuing an apology in response to a report into the agent Stakeknife, who worked for the Army within the IRA.

The interim report of Operation Kenova, which investigated the activities of Stakeknife, was published last week.

A short Stormont debate on the report took place on Monday.

During it, SDLP assembly member Matthew O'Toole accused the government of an "utterly unacceptable" response to the report.

The report found that Stakeknife probably cost more lives than he saved.

"The response of the UK government to simply gloss over this, to not even engage with the detail of the interim report, let alone offer an apology, is utterly unacceptable and offensive to the families," Mr O'Toole said.

He added that it was "a pathetic indictment" of the government's "shabby approach to legacy".

In response, a spokesperson for the Northern Ireland Office said: "Our deepest sympathies remain with all the families who lost loved ones during that very dark period in Northern Ireland.

"Matters relating to Operation Kenova remain subject to consideration by the courts.

"The Northern Ireland secretary has been clear on behalf of the government that it would be inappropriate for the UK government to make any further comment until the conclusion of this litigation, and until Kenova's final report is received."

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The report said speculation Stakeknife had saved hundreds of lives was wrong; it was more likely between high single figures and low double figures.

It found the security forces failed to prevent some murders to try to protect their agents in the IRA.

But the report pointed out that it was the IRA leadership that had "commissioned and sanctioned" the actions of its so-called internal security unit - of which Stakeknife was a member - and "committed brutal acts of torture and murder".

Iain Livinstone, Jon Boutcher and Chris Todd speaking at a press conference following the publication of the report into Stakeknife

The £40m investigation took seven years to examine the activities of Stakeknife, who was Belfast man Freddie Scappaticci.

During Monday's debate, TUV leader Jim Allister was critical of how Sinn Féin had responded to the report, which also called for a republican apology for the IRA's treatment of informers.

Sinn Féin deputy leader Michelle O'Neill responded to the Kenova report by apologising "for every single loss of life, and that is without exception" during the Troubles.

Mr Allister said: "It was the IRA that decided these people would be put to death.

"It comes nowhere close to being enough to say, as the first minister has said, she is sorry for all deaths.

"That's not the question. The question is 'was it wrong?'

"Was it wrong for the IRA to murder not just these people but all those they murdered? Weasel words which evade that question are quite, quite appalling."