The Government has said it will consider how a Supreme Court ruling on a Troubles death relates to calls to reveal the identity of the army agent Stakeknife. Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn described the ruling as having "wide-ranging implications".
The final report from Operation Kenova last week urged the Government to name Stakeknife, who operated as an army spy within the IRA during the Troubles. The agent has been linked to at least 14 murders and 15 abductions, and was widely believed to be west Belfast man Freddie Scappaticci, who died in 2023.
Mr Benn had previously said he would respond after the Supreme Court ruled on a Government appeal over a coroner's decision to disclose sensitive material in an inquest into the 1994 murder of Liam Paul Thompson in Belfast. The court ruled that the coroner should not release the information, stating that responsibility lies with the Northern Ireland Secretary to assess risks to national security.
Mr Benn stated that the Government welcomes the unanimous judgment and will take time to consider all aspects, including those relevant to the Kenova request to name Stakeknife. He said he would return to the House once a final view is reached.
The Government has resisted previous calls to reveal Stakeknife's identity, arguing that departing from its Neither Confirm Nor Deny (NCND) policy regarding agents would have national security implications. The Supreme Court judgment noted that disclosing documents in the Thompson case would be contrary to the public interest in protecting national security due to the NCND policy.
