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tv   BBC News  BBC News  March 8, 2024 1:45pm-2:01pm GMT

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by the murdered. we are encouraged by the prospect of a completely changed position at some stage in the near future, given a very specific nature of the terms of reference, it wasn't that fred scappaticci cannot be named as the agent stakeknife in this report today. report does make it very clear by inference or otherwise that scappaticci was the agent stakeknife but for many, it is important to see his name at go up in lights as stakeknife. for many, the kenova engagement has been all about finding out whether or not a relative was murdered by him. at best, this response are been underwhelming and at worst re—traumatising for families. underwhelming and at worst re—traumatising forfamilies. from underwhelming and at worst re—traumatising for families. from a legal perspective, we can appreciate the article two european court of human rights convention rights with individuals not to be named. we say
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there is an overwhelming case to be made for a departure from ncnd, neither confirm nor deny, and this has left a lot of families in limbo. families will be greatly encouraged by today's strong recommendation from jon boutcher that there will be a comprehensive review of ncnd, for many, that can't come quickly enough. the findings in today's report makes a decision not to prosecute anyone at all all the more depressing. many hope that someone from the security forces, the intelligence constituency, which in fact be prosecuted for perverting the course ofjustice, conspiracy to murder and related offences. today's finding only serves to compound frustration to address this glaring justice deficit. we further requested reviews and a number of cases and are now at the point of
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litigation against the pps on failure to look at overarching criminal, corporate failings. we say government and relevant other agencies had a statutory obligation under health and safety regulations to handle and oversee the deployment of intelligence but that didn't happen here. instead, we've seen a disproportionate focus on specific acts through individuals and whenever hunters received intelligence information that someone was abducted and their life put at risk, it was in turn reported to senior commanding officers within tcg and elsewhere. regrettably, that intelligence was not acted upon. and to interest this injustice, we've hundred six commenced a judicial review legal action against the pps in the case of anthony barnett, who is in 1981 as alleged informant, and
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the family of anthony brummitt have steadfastly denied that allegation. to that end, it in many respects, kenova replicates the outworking is of sirjohn stevens�* reports from over 20 years ago. some of its recommendations on prosecutions in connection with loyalist state collusion were simply rejected by the dpp. there was never any realistic prospect of having ex—members of secret forces in a belfast doc. anyone so prosecuted had automated offence or simply obeying orders from above. the moment she prosecutes, you interfere with a delicate, post—conflict political, legal ecosystem which opens up the road to whitehall. 0ver opens up the road to whitehall. over a techie to go, the former prime minister david cameron spoke about the men in dark suits in whitehall who were preventing him from giving
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the finucane family and inquiry into the finucane family and inquiry into the merger a pat finucane. this very same suits are looking in the shadows here today. and so too the legacy of kenova. the report calls for apologies all round, respectively for some families, this does not really cut it. in some ways, it represents a soft landing. as an alternative, we say that the report actually signposts a way forward for a full public inquiry into state penetration of belfast security unit during the conflict. deterrence of reference for a can of her work deliberately fred scappaticci——centric to the exclusion of an investigation into the other agents working within that unit. it is overly simplistic and now give to assume that fred scappaticci operated as a loan agent. it is misleading to assume that he presents as the apex of
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british state collusion inside the ira at this time of the conflict. many of the cases investigated by can over do not feature fred scappaticci at all. he was not the only stakeknife. in this respect, i refer to section 67 of the reports, which is extremely instructive and enlightening. today�*s port does not been as are the stakeknife saga, on the contrary, it signpost the need for further programming. the contrary, it signpost the need forfurther programming. in the the contrary, it signpost the need for further programming. in the last week, the chief constable and a high courtjudge called for a public inquiry into collusion between state and loyalists and recent allegations surrounding the 1997 murder of gaa official sean brown. today we say, in terms of consistency and evidential justification, in terms of consistency and evidentialjustification, there are the basis for a public inquiry into other stakeknifes. the british other sta keknifes. the british government�*s
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other stakeknifes. the british government�*s attempt to shut down on the spectre of other kenova—esque investigations does not necessarily serve to prevent a public inquiry because inquiries under section one of the inquiries act are exempt under those provisions. the content of today�*s portal presents an overwhelming endorsement for the need to have another inquiry. if this were middle england, there would be no debate about it. unfortunately, when it comes to conflict, unresolved conflict—related incidents, there is a wholesale and easier. 0n conflict—related incidents, there is a wholesale and easier. on a final note, we commend all of those who invested support and time in this investigation. —— wholesale amnesia. we commend the families for their bravery in stepping forward and having their voices heard. the stigma for the tout or informant runs very deep in irish history.
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that stigma extends to the next of kin or the next generation. indeed, if proof were needed of that, we need only look around this room today. there aren�*t any families and thatis, today. there aren�*t any families and that is, to my mind, is very telling. families still feel uncomfortable about being in the public domain in relation to these matters. these families were very much last in the queue when it came tojustice and truth much last in the queue when it came to justice and truth recovery. none of them had the benefit of any political or other support to highlight their cases. as a pro script, i think it�*s important to record that is, without the input and engagement from those families and engagement from those families and others, the effectiveness of kenova is an investigation would have been substantially dilated. today�*s port put to bed the myth that agents like freddie scappaticci saved lives. this key finding also serves to expose the lies about the
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deceased loyalist agent brian nelson and the claim that he saved, and i quote, hundreds of lives. equally significant is the conclusion that the pps failed to properly resourced legacy investigations and in particular this investigation. the decision making on fred scappaticci simply tight out when he died and with that, with his mate, went a massive opportunity to add to the work of kenova and to have an investigation of this criminaljust functionality played out in a belfast court. there�*s a real irony that these conflict bereaved and marginalised families who were able to contribute so much to hundreds of�*s landmark findings of state sanctioned complicity in the murder of its own citizens. a thank you. sir, that is kevin winters, lawyer for the families of murdered victims
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and informers reacting to that report that a british army spy operating at the heart of the ira during the troubles in northern ireland probably cost more lives than he saved after a seven—year investigation. freddie scappaticci, codenamed stakeknife, is linked to 14 codenamed stakeknife, is linked to 1a murders and 15 abductions. he works in a ruthless ira unit known as the nutting squad. mr windsor said he wanted to commend jon boutcher and taken over boutcher and ta ken over investigation boutcher and taken over investigation and went on to say that for some, this report does what it says on the tin, service for them, for others it is a case of what might have been, a halfway house on justice. what might have been, a halfway house onjustice. he talks about obstacles and what he calls the culling of material that led to delays. he said that was a damning indictment on the state. the state could have and should have intervened to save lives. mr winters went on to say that both the state and the ira were co—conspirators in
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the murder of some of its citizens. he said you can never put the price on the cost of exposing the truth. he said the decision of officials not to name freddie scappaticci was hard to understand. he went on to say that the findings make the decision by the pps not to prosecute anyone all the more depressing. and mr windsor said the report calls for apologies for some families, that doesn�*t cut it. he said it signpost for a full public inquiry. he said today per�*s mikkel report does not end the stakeknife saga. he said there are the basis for a public inquiry into other stakeknifes. he said, if this were middle england, there would be no debate about that. he ended by, families who came forward. you can get more understory on the bbc news website or app, there is a special live page up and running including comments from arne�*s first minister michelle
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0�*neill, who said an apology from the british government should be forthcoming. northern ireland secretary chris heaton—harris said he would not comment on the investigation before legal cases related to it conclude. will have more reaction to a report throughout the afternoon here on bbc news, now a check on the weather with elizabeth. hello there, good afternoon. today looking very similar to how it was yesterday, still of cloud around for places but brighter now with some sunshine across the south of england, east anglia in particular, lots of blue skies here in norwich. and more sunny spells for western wales and northwest scotland, where it�*s set to continue through the rest of the day. but a brisk and chilly easterly wind blowing for most of us and it will stay dry. low pressure along the south with milder air. chilly air across much of the uk and high pressure towards the north and the east. drawing in this wind still from the north sea. quite cloudy with spots of drizzle for areas of northeastern england and eastern scotland but the cloud breaking up a little and still in exposure to that brisk easterly wind, it�*s going to feel rather chilly.
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more blustery winds towards the southwest of devon and cornwall and rain here too by the end of the day. temperatures ranging between six and 11 celsius. 0vernight, drawing in a lot more in the way of cloud so not quite as cold as last night. these areas of rain pushing northwards across the southwest of england and into western wales by tomorrow. perhaps a touch of localised frost in the central glens of scotland but for most of us, a frost—free night. low pressure towards the south and the west pushing further northwards through saturday, so none of this rain is likely to be particularly heavy but some spots at times across parts of wales, into northern england, northern ireland and heavier downpours across southwest england. lots of dry weather around too, the brisk, easterly wind making it feel colder than these numbers suggest. rather windy again on sunday, keeping that easterly wind. a lot more in the way
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of rain on sunday, mostly across eastern england, wales, northern ireland. some rain pushing into southern scotland but scotland looking a lot drier on sunday, mother�*s day, temperatures once again six to 11 degrees. as we head into the start next week, not quite so windy, the winds easing down as low pressure pulls away. a lot of dry weather next week and we will start to draw in more southwesterly winds so temperature starting to rise through the week and feeling a little milder. bye— bye.
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live from london, this is bbc news. a humanitarian sea corridorfor aid to go from cyprus to gaza should begin operating by sunday. in the state of the union address, president biden makes a pitch for a second term while criticising his rival donald trump.— second term while criticising his rival donald trump. here the simple truth - you — rival donald trump. here the simple truth - you cannot _ rival donald trump. here the simple truth - you cannot love _ rival donald trump. here the simple truth - you cannot love your- rival donald trump. here the simple truth - you cannot love your country| truth — you cannot love your country only when you win. fin truth - you cannot love your country only when you win.— only when you win. on international women's day. _ only when you win. on international women's day, french _ only when you win. on international women's day, french president - women�*s day, french president emanuel macron and shrines in france�*s constitution the right to an abortion. the despair of parents in nigeria. more than 280 children are kidnapped from school. a seven—year investigation finds the
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british army�*s top ira spy

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