Settlement Reached in Case Involving MI5 Agent's Ex-Wife
Freddie Scappaticci, pictured in west Belfast in 2003, denied being the former Army agent known as Stakeknife.
The ex-wife of an MI5 agent has obtained a "significant" settlement against the state in the initial civil case connected to the double agent Freddie Scappaticci.
Margaret Keeley alleged that Scappaticci, who was codenamed Stakeknife by the Army, subjected her to torture and degradation.
She initiated legal proceedings in 2008 against the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), the Ministry of Defence (MoD), and Scappaticci himself.
Keeley claimed that both the police and the MoD knowingly permitted her to be interrogated and threatened by a man acting as an agent for the state during a two-day period in north Belfast in 1994.
She stated that she has endured the trauma of these events for over 30 years.
"Bringing this case was never about money, but seeking truth and accountability and ensuring the truth was acknowledged," Keeley said.
"I hope it is another step towards accountability and justice for all those affected by Stakeknife."
Claire McKeegan, solicitor at Phoenix Law, described Keeley's settlement as "a hugely significant day" for all victims of Scappaticci.
"This is the first time the state has settled a civil action concerning the conduct of its agent, and it represents an important step towards accountability.
It brings a conclusion to a long a protracted legal battle which our client fought for decades."
Scappaticci, who died in 2023, was placed in an IRA security unit specifically tasked with identifying spies within its ranks.
The MoD stated it is "unable to comment on ongoing litigation." The PSNI was also contacted for comment.
In 1978, Scappaticci was assigned to a new IRA security unit with the specific responsibility of exposing spies within the organisation.
In December, the findings of Operation Kenova, the investigation into Stakeknife's activities, were published.
The investigation concluded that MI5 was closely involved in managing Stakeknife, that he committed "grotesque serious crime," and that protecting him was prioritized over protecting others.
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