Spying is a nasty business. In cliche laden movies, spies are always told to "trust no one" and are then betrayed by their closest associates. It is looking more and more likely that the British Intelligence Service has had input and knowledge about the Irish Republican Army's security for over twenty years.
"Stakeknife" was the codename for the IRA's head assassin, the one they sent after disloyal IRA members. According to SkyNews, he was the "deputy head of the Provisionals' internal security unit." Just like the fictitious British Agent 007, Stakeknife had a license to kill. Unlike make believe spies, Stakeknife is alleged to have participated in the killing of innocents to maintain his cover.
As one might expect, the unveiling of this news has crushed the spirits of those in the Irish Republican Army. Who knows how many of the "disloyal" IRA terrorists that Stakeknife killed were really loyal? And how many other moles did Stakeknife leave in place? Would you care to risk your life by working for an organization that allowed its mortal enemy access and partial control of your internal security? Per cryptome:
The IRA fear the outing of Stakeknife could deal an almost-fatal blow to the organisation. A senior Republican source said last night: 'This is the most dreadful news I've ever heard. I don't know how we can recover from this. How can we have any confidence left in ourselves when a man like Scappaticci turned out to be Stakeknife?'
The news has caused such an uproar in the IRA that Sinn Fein, the political arm of the IRA terrorists, "has accused the British intelligence service of leaking the identity of 'Stakeknife', the double agent at the heart of an IRA death squad, to the press." Who knows? In the world of espionage, it may even be true. In "retirement" Stakeknife has struck one last blow at the heart of the terrorist organization.
The CIA had an opening for an assassin. After all of the background checks, interviews, and testing were done there were three finalists - two men and one woman. For the final test, the CIA agents took one of the men to a large metal door and handed him a gun.
"We must know that you will follow your instructions, no matter what the circumstances. Inside this room you will find your wife sitting in a chair. You have to kill her." The first man said. "You cant be serious. I could never shoot my wife!"The agent replies, "Then you?re not the right man for this job."
The second man was given the same instructions. He took the gun and went into the room. All was quiet for about five minutes. Then the agent came out with tears in his eyes. "I tried, but I cant kill my wife." The agent replies, "You dont have what it takes. Take your wife and go home."
Finally, it was the womans turn. Only she was told to kill her husband. She took the gun and went into the room. Shots were heard, one shot after another. They heard screaming, crashing, banging on the walls. After a few minutes, all was quiet. The door opened slowly and there stood the woman. She wiped the sweat from her brow and said, "You guys didnt tell me the gun was loaded with blanks. So I had to beat him to death with the chair."