Relatives of people killed by British agent Freddie Scappaticci are “openly questioning” whether he is dead after a British government department refused to provide basic information to some of his victims.
In 2003 west Belfast man Scappaticci, a former commander of the IRA’s Internal Security Unit (ISU), was identified as the agent Stakeknife.
The ISU, also known as the “Nutting Squad”, was responsible for hunting down and killing informers.
It is claimed Scappaticci died last year, although few details of the circumstances have been made public.
It has been reported that he died of natural causes, was buried in England there will be no inquest.
While it was previously known Scappaticci worked for the British army’s Force Research Unit, supressed MI5 documents, which were recently discovered, now confirm he was instructed by the undercover agency via his military handlers.
Concerns have now been raised after the London-based Cabinet Office refused to respond to requests for information from lawyers acting for relatives of people killed by Scappaticci’s IRA unit.
Last year, Kevin Winters of KRW, who represents 12 families of people killed by the ISU, wrote to the Cabinet Office requesting basic information including on what date Scappaticci died and where he was buried.
They also asked if a post-mortem report was carried out and if it can be released to the people he represents.
In addition Mr Winters asked if any statutory authority or agency was made aware of Scappaticci’s death.
After sending several letters Mr Winters was directed to a firm of solicitors believed to represent Scappaticci’s estate.
It is understood the failure of the Cabinet Office to respond has now prompted a threat to take legal action.
“After Freddie Scappaticci died we were directed to the Cabinet Office to find out more details around his death but after 18 months we still don’t have a response,” Mr Winters said.
“Whenever state agencies retreat from disclosing basic information like this it only serves to fuel suspicions.
“In fact, some of our clients are openly questioning whether or not Freddie Scappaticci is actually dead.”
The activities of Scappaticci were investigated by Operation Kenova, which began in 2016 and examined more than 100 murders and abductions.
An interim report was published earlier this year with a final document expected to be made public next year.
Mr Winters said it is unclear if Operation Kenova will provide details about Scappaticci’s death
“The interim Kenova report is equally silent on these issues nor do we have any formal confirmation that they will be addressed in the final report,” he said.
“We’ve been left with no option but to threaten judicial review proceedings to get answers that will end needless speculation.”
The Cabinet Office and Operation Kenova were contacted.
