“Is Scappaticci getting to that time of life when he wants to talk about his role in the conflict…”

What Hurst [‘Martin Ingram’] has told Judge Smithwick so far about Stakeknife’s role along the border and whether it has relevance to his tribunal we are not allowed to know.

What we do know is that the Ministry of Defence does not want Hurst to talk about Stakeknife, either publicly or privately, which puts its lawyers on a collision-course with Judge Smithwick who wants much more dialogue with Hurst.

Those who may know, but cannot divulge what the state-of-play is on this crucial matter will only advise that matters are “delicately” poised on whether Hurst will ever be allowed to travel to Dublin to speak about Stakeknife.

For some as yet to be explained reason, back in October 2006 Freddie Scappaticci’s lawyers seemed to think that they should be tied to the tribunal investigating the murders of Harry Breen and Bob Buchanan.

That remains the case.

So has Scappaticci something crucial he wants to tell the tribunal in relation to the ambushing of the two senior RUC officers in March 1989?

Is he going to spill the beans about the role of rogue members of the security services and fellow IRA members in the Republic?

Is Scappaticci getting to that time of life when he wants to talk about his role in the conflict – and name others?

Hurst may be able to assist the Smithwick Tribunal in this very sensitive matter if he is allowed to reveal what he knows about Scappaticci’s role in the IRA along the border, where he would have regularly gone to interrogate alleged informers in safe houses in Dundalk.

Given that Judge Smithwick is investigating the murders of the two most senior of Her Majesty’s police officers to be murdered by the IRA, wouldn’t it be considered outrageous if some of Her Majesty’s most senior Army officers and MoD officials contrived to obstruct Judge Smithwick’s inquiry – itself specifically requested by Her Majesty’s Government?

Read the whole thing.