MI5 Stakeknife

Operation Kenova, an investigation into former British agent Freddie Scappaticci, known as Stakeknife, has encountered significant setbacks following the late disclosure of hundreds of previously undisclosed MI5 documents. These new files, identified by Sir Iain Livingstone, the head of the investigation, contain crucial information that may provide new investigative leads and challenge previous findings regarding Scappaticci’s activities during the Troubles. The interim report published earlier this year revealed the extent of Scappaticci's involvement in at least 14 murders while he was a prized agent for the Army and a member of the IRA's internal security unit. Livingstone expressed alarm over the timing of these discoveries, which surfaced months after the initial report and just before the introduction of the controversial Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act. Despite a seven-year investigation costing £40 million, no prosecutions have resulted, and questions regarding the integrity of MI5's disclosures are now being raised. Livingstone has communicated his concerns to Northern Secretary Hilary Benn, emphasizing the need for a thorough examination of the newly found material.