A Belfast man accused of being Britain’s most important agent inside the IRA is being questioned about the murder of a prominent Ulster loyalist terrorist, it has emerged.
Detectives were on Wednesday evening granted 72 more hours to question Freddie Scappaticci, 72, who is alleged to have been the British spy known as “Stakeknife” who operated within the IRA for 25 years.
He was arrested on Tuesday by officers working on Operation Kenova – a multimillion-pound inquiry into the activities of “Stakeknife” – on suspicion of a number of offences. It is also investigating claims that his British handlers allowed the informer to be involved in crimes, including murders, while he was a paid agent of the state.
Loyalist sources in Belfast told the Guardian on Wednesday that one of the offences over which Scappaticci was being held was the 1986 IRA murder of the Ulster Volunteer Force killer and gunrunner John Bingham. The IRA shot dead Bingham inside his home in north Belfast in retaliation for an increase in UVF sectarian attacks against Catholics in the area.
It is understood relatives of Bingham were informed about the arrest on Tuesday.
Scappaticci could be held under anti-terrorist legislation until Saturday lunchtime, when he will have to be either charged or released.
It has emerged that up to nine Police Service of Northern Ireland vehicles were involved in a large security operation in west Belfast on Tuesday afternoon connected to Scappaticci’s arrest. At least one property in the area was searched.
Scappaticci denied being the agent known as “Stakeknife” when, in 2003, he was accused of being a top state spy inside the IRA. He later fled Belfast and has since been living in a secret location, using legal injunctions via the Ministry of Defence to prevent any disclosure of his whereabouts.
In May 2016 the British government established Operation Kenova under the command of the Bedfordshire chief constable, Jon Boutcher. Up to 50 detectives were recruited to investigate allegations that “Stakeknife” led an IRA internal security unit that was responsible for up to 50 murders during the Troubles in Northern Ireland.
An operation spokesperson has said that, for security reasons, no details of the place of arrest or where he is being held will be released.
The detectives have interviewed more than 40 families whose relatives were killed or interrogated by the IRA internal security unit, known as the “nutting squad”. The team has also questioned a number of ex-IRA members who they believe were interrogated, threatened and tortured by the unit as they faced accusations of betraying the republican movement.
Senior British army officers operating in Northern Ireland during the Troubles described “Stakeknife” as the “jewel in the crown” for military intelligence in terms of insight into the IRA.
