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March 11, 2004

Scappaticci takes North's security minister to court

Stakeknife Named: British double agent who murdered for the IRA

25 May 2003
By Barry O Kelly, Crime Correspondent
Freddie Scappaticci is taking an unprecedented legal action against the North's security minister in a bid to force her to confirm or deny that he is the IRA double agent Stakeknife. The Sunday Business Post has learned that Scappaticci, 59, has lodged papers in the High Court in Belfast, applying for a judicial review against the minister, Jane Kennedy. If successful, he could be in line for massive libel damages awards.

Scappaticci recently wrote to the minister, asking her to confirm that he was not Stakeknife. But Kennedy replied that she would not "comment on security issues''. The Belfast man's solicitor, Michael Flanigan, said this weekend: "We want the minister to confirm that our client is not the agent, spelled as Stakeknife or Steakknife.'' Flanigan will ask the Belfast High Court this week to deal urgently with the application "because Mr Scappaticci's life could be at risk''. One ground for the action is Article Two of the European Convention on Human Rights -- a government's duty of care to protect citizens.

March 11, 2004 at 07:27 PM in Ireland | Permalink | TrackBack (32) | Top of page | Blog Home