Stakeknife Scandal Deepens: Secret Briefings and Supreme Court Conflict of Interest Allegations
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A decades-long controversy surrounding the identity of Stakeknife,a British agent infiltrated within the Provisional Irish Republican Army,has been reignited by revelations of secret government briefings and potential conflicts of interest within the UK’s highest court. New information suggests the pursuit of justice in this sensitive case has been compromised, raising serious questions about clarity and due process.
The government, it appears, actively worked too prevent the unmasking of Stakeknife – widely believed to be Freddie Scappaticci – fearing a successful legal challenge would force ministers to reveal classified information. A senior official stated the government believed a judge would assume Scappaticci was not Stakeknife if presented with the full evidence, thereby compelling honesty from those in power.
Secret Briefing of the Lord chief Justice
Jon Boutcher, leading an inquiry into the handling of Northern Ireland’s “Troubles,” has confirmed an remarkable detail: the judge presiding over a key case related to Stakeknife’s identity was secretly briefed on the agent’s true identity before rendering a decision. That judge, then Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland, Lord Carswell, subsequently allowed the government to maintain a policy of “Neither Confirm Nor Deny” (NCND) regarding Stakeknife’s status. This ruling established a crucial legal precedent supporting the continued use of the NCND policy.
“The full facts about this and the government’s description will never be known while it is able to hide behind the shield of NCND,” Boutcher has said, highlighting the enduring opacity surrounding the case.
Supreme court Justice’s Prior Involvement
The revelations don’t end there. A second, equally concerning fact has come to light: the government barrister who conducted the secret briefing of Lord Carswell was Philip Sales, who later became Lord Sales, a Justice of the UK Supreme court. This information was uncovered by journalist John Ware.
This connection is especially significant as Lord Sales’ ruling in a separate case, involving Paul Thompson, now directly impacts whether Scappaticci can be officially named and further details about the operation revealed – including potentially Lord Sales’ own role in the initial briefing.
Questions of Impropriety
concerns have been raised about the appropriateness of Lord Sales hearing the Thompson case given his prior involvement in the Stakeknife matter. Time.news inquired with the Supreme Court regarding a potential conflict of interest.
In a statement,the court asserted,”Great care is taken in the selection of the panels which will hear a case at the UK Supreme Court.” The statement continued, “A Justice will not deal with a case where it is indeed considered there is a conflict of interest and individual Justices are careful to ensure that they have none.”
Though, critics argue that the prior secret briefing represents a significant, and potentially disqualifying, connection that should have been disclosed. The implications of this case extend beyond the identification of Stakeknife, touching upon the essential principles of judicial
Why: The controversy was reignited due to revelations of secret government briefings and potential conflicts of interest regarding the Stakeknife case. The government attempted to prevent the unmasking of Stakeknife (believed to be Freddie Scappaticci) to avoid revealing classified information.
Who: Key figures include Stakeknife (Freddie Scappaticci
