Evaluating Special Branch and the Use of Informant Intelligence in Northern Ireland

摘要

This article examines the use of informants, predominantly by police Special Branch, in Northern Ireland both before and following the peace. After setting out the development of the police as the dominant organization in handling informants and the centrality of informant intelligence to counter terrorism, the article discusses some of the serious ethical criticisms which have been raised concerning the use of informants. These include the protection of informants who committed serious crimes including murder. The article evaluates these criticisms in context and calls for a more situated, nuanced account of the costs and benefits of informant intelligence in Northern Ireland.