A West Belfast Republican who is thought to have been the most high ranking British Army agent in the IRA for over 20 years is reported to have been moved out of the country in a bid to protect his life.
The man, who was known by the codename 'Stakeknife', is thought to have been part of the IRA's Belfast command for several years.
Last month the Metropolitan Commissioner, Sir John Stevens, who is charged with investigating collusion between terrorists and the security forces in the North confirmed that his team wanted to speak to the agent known as 'Stakeknife'.
He has been dubbed the British army's most important informer within the IRA for the past three decades.
This weekend, fearing his cover had been exposed, the man who lived in West Belfast was escorted out of the country under fear of death.
It is understood that 'Stakeknife' was a senior member of the IRA's internal disciplinary unit which was charged with tracking down informers.
Often the alleged informers were tortured and forced to sign or dictate confessions before being shot.
Among the killings that 'Stakeknife' is alleged to have been involved in were those of Gregory Burns, Aidan Starrs and John Dignam in July 1992.
In 1987, a UDA murder squad which was on the way to assassinate 'Stakeknife' was diverted away from their intended target by British army intelligence and instead murdered West Belfast pensioner, Francisco Notarantonio.
