Freddie Scappaticci who was known as Stakeknife and suspected of being British Army’s top spy in the IRA dies
THE British army’s highest placed IRA mole has died after hiding out for 20 years.
man Freddie Scappaticci, codenamed ‘Stakeknife,’ was one of the terror group’s most trusted figures.
Linked to dozens of murders, he headed up the IRA's internal security unit - dubbed the ‘nutting squad’ - that tracked down, interrogated, tortured and killed informers.
Outed by the press in 2003, bricklayer Scapaticci denied it all before fleeing his home town.
He died aged 76 earlier this month and that a funeral has taken place at a secret location near his home in England.
He is understood to have refused an offer of relocation from security services some years ago.
It is understood he had reached an understanding with former senior figures in the IRA that would keep him alive.
His murky actions over decades within the group were being probed under the wide-ranging Operation Kenova led by former Bedfordshire Chief Constable Jon Boutcher.
His report had been expected earlier this year but last week it was confirmed that it would be delayed.
Mr Boutcher said he hopes to publish the findings of his investigation next year.
Most read in the Irish Sun
He said: "We were made aware last week of the passing of Frederick Scappaticci.
"We are working through the implications of his death with regards to our ongoing casework, which will be progressed in consultation with victims, bereaved families, advocacy support groups and a wide range of statutory and non-statutory partners.
"The very nature of historical investigations will mean a higher likelihood that old age may catch up with those affected, be they perpetrators, witnesses, victims, family members, or those who simply lived through those times, before matters are concluded.
"We remain committed to providing families with the truth of what happened to their loved ones and continue to actively pursue criminal charges against several individuals.
"We will publish an interim report on Kenova's findings this year.
INFORMATION APPEAL
"We also recognise that people may now feel more able to talk to the Kenova team following the death of Mr Scappaticci, who had long accused by many of being involved in the kidnap, murder and torture of potential PIRA informants during The Troubles.
"I appeal to anyone with information that might help those impacted by the events we are investigating to contact us in confidence to help families understand what happened during these difficult times."
In 2018 Mr Scappaticci had been arrested and questioned over 50 separate murders as part of historical probe but no charges were brought.
Scapaticci joined the IRA in the early eighties and gained a reputation for his ruthless approach.
Along the way he was secured as an asset for both the army’s Force Research Unit and the RUC’s Special Branch.
In time Stakeknife rose to the top of the IRA’s tight-knit ‘nutting squad,’ which was regarded as a vital unit within an organisation.
SPY EARNINGS
At one stage he was earning up to £80,000 a year for his information.
The IRA believed he was doing vital work at time when police and military were constantly probing for informers - often with great success - and incredibly double-agent Scapaticci’s role was to root them out.
He is said to have provided a huge amount of information around IRA actions which led to a large number of successful counter-terror operations.
One of his victims was Joe Fenton, a 35-year-old father-of-four Fenton, who was shot dead in 1989 not long after an interrogation by Stakeknife.
Controversially, a BBC Panorama programme would claim that Scapaticci advised his handlers in advance that Fenton was going to be killed and nothing was done.
In an earlier interview, Mr Boucher said: “We need to understand what was the rationale and decision-making of one person being allowed to die in order potentially, if this was the case, that another person can live.”
READ MORE SUN STORIES
In 2018 Scappaticci appeared before Westminster magistrates to admit two counts of possessing extreme porn involving animals.
He was sentenced to three months in custody, suspended for 12 months.
