A former British double agent in the IRA has denied being a pathological liar over claims a suspected Garda mole destroyed evidence from one of the worst atrocities in the Troubles.

A British agent who infiltrated the IRA revealed there was not a day when the terror group was not trying to kill a member of the security forces.

THREE former gardaí suspected of possible collusion with the IRA have firmly rejected claims that they passed on information which led to the murder of two senior RUC officers in March 1989.

DETAILS of evidence uncovered by the Smithwick Tribunal into the alleged collusion by gardaí and other state officials in the murder of two senior RUC officers in 1989 will be revealed for the first time today.

FINE GAEL MEP Jim Higgins and former Fine Gael Minister for Agriculture Ivan Yates have secured €100,000 each, plus their legal costs and an apology, in settlement of their libel action over two articles in the Sunday Independent newspaper.

The inquiry into the IRA killing of two senior RUC officers in 1989 is being delayed by a refusal of a key witness to give evidence.

A former British agent who spied on the IRA was released without charge tonight after being questioned about two murders in Northern Ireland.

A BRITISH agent who spied on the IRA was being questioned last night about two murders in the North.

A British agent who spied on the IRA is still being questioned tonight about two murders in Northern Ireland.

A 46-year-old man has been arrested in England by police probing two murders involving alleged security force collusion.

Former IRA man turned British agent Kevin Fulton must be given special protection if he gives evidence at the Omagh bomb trial, a court heard today.

The tribunal investigating the murder of two senior RUC officers almost 18 years ago has refused to grant legal representation to Freddie Scappaticci.

THE public inquiry into the IRA murder of two RUC officers in Armagh in 1989 will investigate not only if gardaí colluded in the killings, but whether colleagues turned "a blind eye" to the collusion.

A FORMER double agent inside the IRA also targeted loyalist paramilitaries as a paid informant, he revealed yesterday.

The identity of another top-ranking IRA man who worked for British intelligence in Northern Ireland has been revealed, it was claimed today.

Alan Erwin

Police were warned the IRA planned to bomb Newry on the same day they murdered a woman officer in the town, outside investigators have discovered.

The family of an RUC officer killed by the IRA 12 years ago has asked the Police Ombudsman to investigate claims that Special Branch failed to act on information that could have prevented the killing.

An inquiry is to be carried out by British MPs into the performance, efficiency and effectiveness of the Northern Ireland Police Ombudsman, it was announced tonight.

The detective heading the Omagh bomb investigation was challenged today to question a former spy who allegedly warned police a terrorist attack was planned.

A MAJOR probe into Garda activities will take place following the announcement of a tribunal to investigate claims that members of the force colluded with terrorists in carrying out murders in the North.

A former spy who infiltrated the IRA went to the west Belfast home of the man who denies being British Army agent Stakenife today in a bid to force him into court.

Britain's Metropolitan Police commissioner John Stevens has been ordered to appear at the High Court in London as a key witness in a case involving Britain’s former top anti-terrorist agents in Northern Ireland, it emerged tonight.

An IRA informer who claimed he was threatened by the alleged British agent codenamed Stakeknife was questioned today by the team of British detectives investigating collusion allegations in Northern Ireland.

British special branch officers have carried out a raid on a London house used by a former intelligence agent who had threatened to reveal the identity of the IRA spy codenamed Stakeknife.

A group of men who claim they were secret agents for anti-terrorist missions in Northern Ireland are to meet Irish government officials, it has been revealed.

The theft of top secret documents from Special Branch is a huge setback in the fight against paramilitary organisations in Northern Ireland, a former MI5 agent claimed tonight.

A warning of Real IRA activity three days before the Omagh bombing never reached Special Branch.

Northern Ireland’s chief constable Sir Ronnie Flanagan has not accepted any of the recommendations of the devastating report by the province’s Ombudsman into the police investigation of the Omagh bomb atrocity.

Sir Ronnie Flanagan is set to accept the main recommendations of the Ombudman’s damning report into the Omagh bomb inquiry.

A Special Branch informer at the heart of the major public row between Northern Ireland’s chief constable and the Police Ombudsman over the Omagh bombing is under death threat.

The Police Ombudsman’s report into the police handling of the Omagh bombing investigation has said that chief constable Ronnie Flanagan’s flawed judgement reduced the chances of the bombers ever being caught.

A spokesman for a group of former British spies has said the North’s Police Ombudsman has evidence that the RUC was aware of the Omagh bomb plot two days before the atrocity claimed 31 lives.

The Northern Ireland Ombudsman hit back tonight over a demand for her resignation for ordering an inquiry into the police handling of Omagh bomb atrocity.

Northern Ireland Police Ombudsman Nuala O'Loan is investigating claims that security forces had prior knowledge of the Omagh bomb.