The Most Controversial Spy In British History (Ep 2/4)

Description

How did British intelligence recruit agents inside the IRA during The Troubles? And how did the IRA track down and execute suspected informers? In Part 2 of our gripping Stakeknife series, David McCloskey and Gordon Corera dive deep into the shadow war between British security forces and the IRA. From covert recruitment tactics to brutal internal interrogations, this episode reveals how both sides operated in a world built on secrecy, paranoia, and betrayal... At the centre of it all is Stakeknife - one of the most valuable and controversial agents ever run by the British state inside the IRA. But how was he recruited? And how did he stay hidden while surrounded by those tasked with rooting out informers? This is the hidden history of espionage during The Troubles and the deadly consequences of being exposed. #TheTroubles #IRA #Stakeknife #BritishIntelligence #Espionage #TrueCrime #HistoryPodcast 00:00 The British state’s man inside the IRA 00:43 The most dangerous intelligence war in Europe 01:56 AD 03:04 Who was really running the spy game? 05:27 The FRU: Britain’s covert unit 07:53 Why did Stakeknife become an agent? 13:50 Blackmail, money, or self-interest? 17:03 Meet Stakeknife’s handlers 19:06 Bundled into vans and secret debriefs 22:15 The FRU’s secret “rat hole” 24:31 No gadgets, no spy tech 26:26 Daily intelligence from inside the IRA 29:46 The central moral question 30:28 Why Stakeknife was so valuable 34:22 A dirty war with no clear rules 37:25 The killings the state knew about 40:24 Michael Kearney and the cost of protecting a source 43:34 What comes next ------------------- ➡️ Join the Declassified Club to go deeper into the world of espionage with exclusive Q&As, interviews with top intelligence insiders, regular livestreams, ad-free listening, early access to episodes and live show tickets, and weekly deep dives into original spy stories. Members also get curated reading lists, special book discounts, prize draws, and access to our private chat community. Just go to https://therestisclassif