Northern Ireland

Undercover officer inquiry victim's concerns about partner of agent Dennis McFadden

Suspected MI5 agent Dennis McFadden.
Suspected MI5 agent Dennis McFadden. Suspected MI5 agent Dennis McFadden.

A CAMPAIGNER who was duped into a relationship with an undercover officer, has said she is "concerned about the wellbeing" of the partner of MI5 agent Dennis McFadden.

Donna McLean was speaking as one of the biggest public inquiries to ever in the UK was taking place in London, following five years of legal debate over terms of reference and anonymity for witnesses.

The Undercover Policing Inquiry came about as a direct result of civil cases by eight women from the group Police Spies Out of Lives.

The support group campaigns to end to the sexual and psychological abuse of women in covert policing operations.

As a double agent for almost a decade, Glasgow native Dennis McFadden, who is in his 50s, was at the centre of the dissident New IRA. He is now in protective custody following a sting designed to take out that organisation's leadership.

Nine dissident republicans and a Palestinian doctor are currently in prison on remand charged in connection with a number of terror offences, based on information provided by McFadden.

Donna McLean, who was duped into a two year relationship with an undercover agent.
Donna McLean, who was duped into a two year relationship with an undercover agent. Donna McLean, who was duped into a two year relationship with an undercover agent.

The MI5 agent has not been seen since August when he disappeared from his house in Glengormley on the outskirts of north Belfast.

His much younger partner, a woman in her 30s from west Belfast, and her child also disappeared at the same time and are believed to be in protective custody.

Sources say McFadden was controlling over the woman and isolated her, banning her from speaking to people visiting their home.

Campaigner Donna McLean said this isolation of women, being used as cover by agents, is not unusual.

Ms McLean was duped into a two year relationship with a man she met at a Stop the War protest in 2002. He turned out to be an undercover agent, who was married with a family.

She said that they know they are just the "tip of the iceberg" and added that questions needed to be asked about who was caring for the wellbeing of women who found themselves in relationships with covert agents, often without their knowledge.

It is not known when McFadden disclosed his double life to his partner, but is thought to have been shortly before he fled Belfast.

"Women are there to be used, to give cover and credibility to these people," said Ms McLean.

"We know we're just the tip of the iceberg, we're quite niche in that we've a very particular situation and people now know who we are because of the inquiry.

"However, the majority of women who find themselves collateral damage in the undercover world of covert surveillance are not being heard.They are completely vulnerable, isolated from family and friends and without support."

In 2015 the Metropolitan Police made an "unreserved apology" and paid compensation to women whom it admitted had been deceived into relationships.

One whistle-blower revealed that he had gathered intelligence on the family of Stephen Lawrence who were campaigning for justice into the botched investigation into the 1993 racist murder.

The inquiry will run for at least another three years as it works its way chronologically through the operations that took place

Opening statements were delivered yesterday by barristers acting on behalf of a number of women who were conned into relationships with undercover officers.

The women were activists in environmental, anti capitalist, trade unionist or anti racism groups when they were targeted by undercover officers who used them to infiltrate the organisations they were involved with.

"It's horrendous that people can be considered disposable in this way, and in this case that's made worse by the fact that there is a child involved," said Ms McLean.

"It's such a cruel and malicious activity and questions need to be asked about who is caring for this woman and her child who have simply disappeared without a trace."

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