Recruited by British Intelligence to infiltrate the IRA and Sinn Féin during the height of the Northern Ireland Troubles, they were 'agents of influence'. With codenames like INFLICTION, STAKEKNIFE, 3007 and CAROL, these spies played a pivotal role in the fight against Irish republicanism. Now, for the first time, some of these agents have emerged from the shadows to tell their compelling stories. Historian Aaron Edwards explains how the IRA was penetrated by British agents, with explosive new revelations about the hidden agendas of prominent republicans like Martin McGuinness and Freddie Scappaticci and lesser-known ones like Joe Haughey and John Joe Magee. Bringing to light recently declassified TOP SECRET documents and the first-hand testimonies of agents and their handlers, Edwards reveals how British Intelligence gained extraordinary access to the IRA's inner circle in his new book, Agents of Influence: Inside Britain's Secret War Against the IRA.
Aaron Edwards is a Senior Lecturer in Defence and International Affairs at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst since 2008. Prior to this he was a project leader in the International Conflict Research Institute (INCORE) at Ulster University.