Kevin Fulton

Kevin Fulton is a British agent from Newry, Northern Ireland, who allegedly spied on the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) for MI5. He is believed to be in London, where he is suing the Crown, claiming his British military handlers cut off their connections and financial aid to him. In 2004 he reportedly sued the Andersonstown News, an Irish republican news outlet in Belfast, for revealing his identity as well as publishing his photograph. The result of that suit has not been made public.

Background

Fulton's real name is purportedly Peter Keeley, a Catholic from Newry, who joined the Royal Irish Rangers at the age of 18. He was selected and trained by the Intelligence Corps and returned to civilian life to infiltrate the IRA. He reportedly gave evidence to the Smithwick Tribunal, in which he reasserted his claim that Garda Owen Corrigan was a double agent for the IRA.[1]

Undercover activity

In Unsung Hero, "Fulton" claims he worked undercover as a British Army agent within the IRA. He was believed to have operated predominantly inside the IRA's South Down Brigade, as well as concentrating on the heavy IRA activity in South Armagh.[2] "Fulton" and four members of his IRA unit in Newry reportedly pioneered the use of "flash guns" to detonate bombs.[3]

In one incident, "Fulton" was questioned on responsibility for designing firing mechanisms used in a horizontal mortar attack on a Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) armoured patrol car on Merchants Quay, Newry, County Down, on 27 March 1992. Colleen McMurray, a constable (aged 34) died and another constable was seriously injured.[4] "Fulton" claims he tipped off his MI5 handler that an attack was likely.[3]

Arrest

On 5 November 2006, he was released without charge after being arrested in London, and transferred to Belfast to be questioned about his knowledge or involvement in the deaths of Irish People's Liberation Organisation member Eoin Morley (aged 23), Royal Ulster Constabulary officer Colleen McMurray (34), and Ranger Cyril Smith (aged 21). "I personally did not kill people", he stated. His lawyers asked the British Ministry of Defence to provide him and his family with new identities, relocation and immediate implementation of the complete financial package, including his army pension and other discharge benefits, which he had been reportedly promised by the MoD for his covert tour of duty. His ex-wife, Margaret Keeley, filed a lawsuit in early 2014 for full access to documents relating to her ex-husband. She claims to have been wrongfully arrested and falsely imprisoned during a three-day period in 1994 following a purported attempt by the IRA to assassinate a senior detective in East Belfast.[5][6]

On 26 November 2013, it was reported that The Irish News had won a legal battle after a judge ruled against Keeley's lawsuit against the newspaper for breach of privacy and copyright, by publishing his photograph, which thereby also, he argued, endangered his life. Belfast District Judge Isobel Brownlie stated at least twice that she was not impressed with Keeley's evidence and described him as "disingenuous". Under British law, Keeley will also be billed for the newspaper's legal costs.[7]

On 31 January 2014, the Belfast High Court ruled that "Fulton" had to pay damages to Eilish Morley, the mother of IPLO member Eoin Morley, shot dead at age 23 by the IRA.[8] The order was issued based upon his failure to appear in court. The scale of the pay-out for which he is liable was to be assessed at a later stage but was never published.[9]

References
  1. Keeley and Smithwick Tribunal, Bbc.com; accessed 5 May 2014.
  2. "Former spy released without charge". Rte.ie. 6 November 2006. Retrieved 24 August 2017.
  3. Fulton, Kevin, Jim Nally, and Ian Gallagher. Unsung Hero, John Blake Publishing Ltd., London (2006); ISBN 978-1-84454-034-1, pp. 146-47.
  4. BBC's Hard Talk interview, 4 October 2006.
  5. Erwin, Alan (15 February 2014). "Informer's ex-wife Margaret Keeley to battle MoD legal move". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  6. "Stakeknife damaged my life - MI5 agent's ex-wife". Bbc.co.uk. 23 March 2011. Retrieved 24 August 2017.
  7. Suzanne McGonagle, "Irish News wins legal battle regarding spy's photo", Scribd.com; accessed 4 May 2014.
  8. Melaugh, Dr Martin. "CAIN: Issues: Victims of the Northern Ireland Conflict". Cain.ulst.ac.uk. Retrieved 24 August 2017.
  9. "British agent in IRA must pay damage to victim's family, says court order", Belfast Telegraph, 31 January 2014; accessed 4 May 2014.
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