University of Salford academic Dr Samantha Newbury on Northern Irish Terrorist Informers

A Salford researcher has released a new book that sheds new light on infamous terrorist informers in Northern Ireland. 

The book will focus on 1970’s Northern Ireland, and will look to pose ethical questions about how terrorist informers were used by British Intelligence.

The newly released book has been published by the University of Salford academic Dr Samantha Newbery, and will focusing on a wide range of case studies, court reports, and testimonies over the decades.    

The book titled Terrorist Informers in Northern Ireland, released on Thursday 21 November, and will focus on British Intelligence, honing in on their role in 1970s Northern Ireland to the present day.

Dr Newbery said: “ This topic is likely to resonate with parts of the Irish community in Manchester and the wider North-West, as family, historical and cultural ties remain strong.”

The University of Salford based academics book also tackles the frustration of many of the grieving families are faced with, as many murders remain unsolved due to the immunity and anonymity assigned to terrorist informants. 

Dr Newbery's brand new book

She continued: “The topic is so important today, because there are still so many court cases, and public inquiries and other investigations that are still going on that shows how important it is, and how many bereaved families and survivors are still pushing, either for justice or for truth. 

The sheer volume of material was difficult to handle, and challenging to structure into a book, so I am particularly happy to have completed this book and to see it in print.”

Part of the book will also look at notorious informers Freddie Scappaticci and Brian Nelson. Known by his moniker Agent Stakeknife, Scappatticci worked as a double agent in the British Army and the IRA and has been linked to at least 18 murders.

Nelson, an Ulster loyalist paramilitary member, was charged and sentenced with ten counts of murder. 

Dr Samantha Newbery is a widely accepted expert on the subject and has appeared on Channel 4, Sky News, and BBC Radio 4 to provide her expertise on terrorism and intelligence relating to Northern Ireland after taking a post graduate teaching degree at the University of Salford. 

There will be a lecture at the University of Salford on Wednesday 19 February which will be a celebration of the 25th anniversary of the military history degree.

“Terrorist Informers in Northern Ireland” is now available at major retailers, including Amazon and Waterstones 

Those who wish to learn more about the novel can find the book here. 

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