EX-WIFE OF MI5 AGENT SECURES SETTLEMENT OVER INTERROGATION

Margaret Keeley has secured a "significant" settlement from the state following a civil case against the Police Service of Northern Ireland, the Ministry of Defence and Freddie Scappaticci, a double agent codenamed Stakeknife. Keeley claimed Scappaticci tortured and degraded her during a two-day interrogation in north Belfast in 1994. She alleged both the police and the Ministry of Defence knowingly allowed her to be questioned and threatened by a man working as a state agent. The case was issued in 2008 and represents the first civil settlement the state has reached concerning the conduct of its agent in this context.

Scappaticci was positioned within an IRA security unit in 1978 that was tasked with identifying spies within the organisation. He died in 2023. Operation Kenova, an investigation into Scappaticci's activities, published its findings in December and found that MI5 was closely involved in handling him, that he committed "grotesque serious crime" and that his protection was prioritised over that of others. Claire McKeegan, a solicitor representing Keeley, described the settlement as "hugely significant" for victims of Scappaticci's conduct.

Keeley stated that she has "lived with the trauma of what happened" for over 30 years and that bringing the case was about "seeking truth and accountability" rather than financial compensation. She expressed hope that the settlement represents progress towards accountability and justice for all those affected by Scappaticci's activities. The Ministry of Defence declined to comment on the ongoing litigation, while the Police Service of Northern Ireland was also approached for comment.