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British Murdered Belfast Man to Shield Secret Agent
The British government has attempted to use a gag order injunction against the Sunday People and Sunday Times - since overturned - to halt publication of mounting evidence that the British Army Force Research Unit directed the loyalist murder of an innocent nationalist in order to shield a top level IRA mole. In 1987, the Ulster Defence Association obstensibly murdered Belfast pensioner Francisco Notarantonio. His murder now seems to have been sanctioned by the British government in order to direct attention from a top British agent within the Provisional movement code named "Steak Knife."
STEAK KNIFE
The gag order injunctions were rapidly secured by British Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon to censor news reports that the British Army and MI5 had orchestrated the murder of a completely innocent Belfast man. The Stevens inquiry is now investigating mounting evidence that the decision to murder Mr. Notarantonio was initially taken at a British Army headquarters in Lisburn after approval by a high-ranking FRU officer and senior officials from MI5.
The British were deeply concerned to hide the identity of this high-level turncoat within the Provisionals. "Steak Knife" is believed to be a top-level agent who, according to reports by Ed Moloney in the Sunday Tribune, was paid £60,000 per year into a secret bank account and had exclusive British Army handlers, drivers and other resources. His information was routinely included in reports for British cabinet ministers. He is still a high-ranking member within the Provisionals, where speculation about his identity is apparent. He is also believed to have exerted a strong influence on the Stormont Deal strategy.
UDA TARGET
In 1987, the British received information that the UDA was about to target "Steak Knife." Instead of protecting him in a manner which might have compromised his usefulness, the British decided to divert the attention of the loyalists to another target.
Brian Nelson, a British Army agent working as a UDA intelligence officer, was used to feed false intelligence data suggesting that Notarantonio was an IRA commander in Ballymurphy. In fact, Notarantonio had not been involved with the IRA for more than twenty years and was completely innocent.
In October 1987, after the FRU directed that all British troops and Royal Ulster Constabulary cleared the area, a UDA death squad entered Notarantonio's home and shot him as he slept.
GRIEVING FAMILY
The grieving family say they will fight all the way for justice, following the discovery of documents proving Crown Force involvement in the pensioner's murder.
Recent media reports have revealed that the Stevens' team discovered sensitive intelligence files on Mr. Notarantonio at the British Army headquarters in Lisburn. The files confirm that the retired taxi driver was murdered to protect the identity of an IRA mole who infiltrated the organization to the highest level. The Notarantonio family is now ready to fight to the top to see all those responsible for their father's murder brought to justice.
"We had our suspicions all along about who was responsible for my father's murder," his daughter Charlotte said.
"My mother said, at the time, that it was a very professional operation that night, and that one of the men involved was wearing army boots. A British Army map was found in the house afterwards and even the whole situation in this area at the time was suspicious. The place was full of military personnel in the couple of days leading up to the murder and everything was pulled out hours before my father was shot."
The family's initial suspicions about the killing were dismissed at the time, but now his six daughters and five sons are ready to go all the way to see their father's killers brought to justice.
"We always knew there was more to it, but seeing these revelations in the papers is like a kick in the guts," said Charlotte. "We're all so hurt to think that the top brass of British military intelligence ordered the killing of our father to protect an informer."
Charlotte's sister Margaret says this shocking information brings the issue to a new level and reveals that her family is feeling very hurt and betrayed. "My father was a dedicated Republican and at his funeral, his coffin was draped in the tricolour," says Margaret.
UN PROTEST
The head of the London-based British-Irish Rights Watch, Jane Winter, accused the British government of colluding in illegal acts by seeking the 'gagging orders.' She said it was time the British government stopped "trying to shoot the messenger" and referred to the incorporation of European human rights law into legislation.
"It would appear that when it comes to freedom of expression, the government's dedication to human rights is not worth the paper on which it is written. These newspapers are raising matters of serious public interest. They are trying to expose wrongdoing by British government agents which led to loss of life. In attempting to silence them, the British government is colluding in illegal acts and is allowing its agents to act with impunity in contravention of domestic and international laws."
The group called on Abid Hussain, the special rapporteur appointed by the UN to report on freedom of expression, to communicate its submission to the British and raise the subject in his next report to the Commission on Human Rights.
Meanwhile, the gag order has been overturned and the
grandson of Mr. Notarantonio, Joseph O'Connor has been murdered by others
acting in service of the British Stormont administration.
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