Stakeknife's Dirty War

How Scappaticci, British Intelligence and Special Branch Ran the IRA

By: Richard O'Rawe

Narrated by: Alan Turkington

Freddie Scappaticci was born in 1946 and raised in a deeply nationalist area of Belfast. When the Troubles broke out in 1969, he joined the Provisional IRA, where he quickly rose through the ranks, becoming commander of Belfast in 1984.

From the outside, Scappaticci appeared to be a dedicated volunteer, but inwardly, he had become disenchanted with the IRA and, in 1977, he started working for British intelligence. At the same time, he took up a leading role in a newly formed IRA Internal Security Unit (ISU), aka ‘The Nutting Squad'. He personally executed two suspected informers and condemned at least thirty-seven more to death.

Was he the serial killer that history portrays him? Undoubtedly. But it's not that simple, because every time he passed the death penalty on an informer, he told his British intelligence handlers about the intended execution, giving them the opportunity to prevent the killing.

Did the tasking and co-ordinating group, the primary British intelligence organisation in Northern Ireland during the troubles, aid and abet the IRA in the mass-murder of British citizens? That is the question Richard O'Rawe poses in Stakeknife's Dirty War. But O'Rawe goes further: he lays out a very compelling case that points to the TCGs running the IRA's war from the mid-1980s to the 1994 ceasefire. Such was the British intelliegence penetration of the IRA, that Freddie Scappaticci, aka ‘Stakeknife', was in control of all IRA operations in the Belfast Brigade area. This book will shock listeners, and cause them to reevaluate everything they formerly held to be true about Stakeknife's dirty war in Ireland.

©2023 Richard O'Rawe (P)2023 W. F. Howes Ltd

Read it.

Super detailed and interesting audiobook on the Troubles, the amount of detail in each chapter makes it an easy listen.

Only losers in this ‘war’ were the Irish people

Not an uplifting read. People trying to live normal lives, wanting their country and culture celebrated while watching two opposing gangs ripping the country and its people apart.
Informers and killers on both sides without any boundaries, consciences or consequences, making lives of families just trying to survive, a living hell.

Some answers to my questions

If you’re like me and had a romantic idea of the conflict in the North and people like Martin McGuinness, give this story a read. It made me even more infuriated with the Brits but also with the incompetence of Provo leadership. O’Rawe holds no punches. It’s a great read.

Great story of the dirty war

Always interesting how your own team will give you up for pennies or to stay out of jail. Real insight and potentially devastating to the British government. Actually allowed someone to commit murder in order to protect a highly placed source. Wow - so much for British justice .

Interesting story

This was an interesting and seemingly unbiased analysis of the Stakeknife story. I really enjoyed it and recommend it to anyone who is interested in the topic of The Troubles.

Spooks and Squirrels

The book uses many quotes mostly from ira, and British intelligence sources (wonderfully voiced by Trurkington who switches from belfast to derry to west Mayo on a dime) to build the case Stakeknife, an informant in charge of killing informants, was not only helpful to MI5, but to the ascendant political arm of the IRA, which wanted to stop its militant members from turning a small terrorist operation into a ground war.

More about the character StakeKnife

Insurgency is the most diabolical and backstabbing endeavor humans partake in. It makes regular organized crime pale in comparison to it brutality, paranoia, and supposed loyalty to cause. The British were culpable to the execution of their subjects, but ultimately played by the IRA and their overall success driven by Jerry Adams who is an evil genius, and I maybe to harsh in labeling him evil. As all wars take casualties, that have to be sacrificed for the greater goal. StakeKnife is also a good reference as well as Say Nothing, or Fisher of Men, among others, too see beyond the opaque story of the IRA/Sinn Finn, and the British.

Couldn’t finish this one

Lots of facts, names, history - but no real compelling story.

I have only given up on a handful of audio books - this was one of them.