BRITISH SPY STAKEKNIFE should be identified by the UK government, a new report by the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee has recommended.

The committee’s report follows a previous report, the full Operation Kenova report, which in December set out the activities of Stakeknife, an MI5 spy who operated from within the IRA from the late 1970s to the 1990s.

An earlier report from Kenova found that more lives were probably lost than saved through the operation of Stakeknife, an agent who “committed grotesque, serious crime” including torture and murder. 

Stakeknife is widely reported to have been the now deceased west Belfast man Freddie Scappaticci. However, due to the UK’s policy of Neither Confirm Nor Deny (NCND) regarding its security and intelligence practices, it will not allow for the identification of the agent.

Following the final report, Kenova chief Iain Livingstone said there is a “compelling ethical case” for the UK government to derogate from the NCND policy to reveal Stakeknife’s identity. 

“It is in the public interest that Stakeknife is named,” Livingstone said.

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Livingstone and the PSNI’s Chief Constable Jon Boutcher gave evidence to the committee last month on the matter, and Boutcher said today he welcomes the report.

“I endorse their recommendation calling for the Government identification of the agent Stakeknife. This would bring much needed closure to many victims and families.”

“The Committee recommendation supports the findings of the operation Kenova Report which included that Stakeknife should be named with a specific recommendation for a review of the UK Government policy on its Neither Confirm nor Deny (NCND) policy as it is applied to cases that occurred during the Troubles in Northern Ireland.

“The application of NCND must not be allowed to cover up acts of wrongdoing by the State. I am grateful for the Committee taking such care in examining this matter.”