REFUSAL TO NAME SPY STAKEKNIFE IS 'BORDERING ON FARCE'

MIS'S initial failure to disclose all it knew about the British army's top spy in the Provisional IRA was a “significant failure”, a report into the activities of Stakeknife said.

- BY REBECCA BLACK, CILLIAN SHERLOCK and GRAINNE NI AODHA

Operation Kenova's findings said MI5 had “earlier and greater knowledge” of the agent - widely believed to be Freddie Scappaticci, who died in 2023 aged 77 - than it first stated.

The UK government has been urged to name Stakeknife, with PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher stating the refusal to do so is “bordering on farce”.

Taoiseach Micheal Martin said the Kenova report was a “catalogue of tragedy, failure and hurt that affected all communities”.

He added: “The agent should be named, everybody knows who the agent is.”