New book examines Stalker affair and Britain’s alleged ‘shoot-to-kill’ policy in Ireland

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A new book from the pen of academic Paddy Hillyard examines the removal of John Stalker as head of his inquiry into an alleged ‘shoot-to-kill’ policy operated by the British State in the North in the 1980s.

‘Decades of Deceit: The Stalker Affair and Its Legacy’ argues that ‘Stalker uncovered key elements of the strategy during an official inquiry into three ‘shoot-to-kill’ incidents in the 1980s’.

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"Using new sources, Paddy Hillyard reveals how the Stalker affair continues to shape present-day events. The thread that links them – including the murder of Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane by two state agents – is MI5’s intelligence-led counter-insurgency strategy.

"Hillyard’s forensic account concludes with the Legacy Act 2023 which, he argues, effectively abolishes the rule of law for the period of the conflict and closes down truth and justice for the families of victims in Britain’s ‘dirty war’ in Northern Ireland.

‘Decades of Deceit: The Stalker Affair and Its Legacy’ argues that ‘Stalker uncovered key elements of the strategy during an official inquiry into three ‘shoot-to-kill’ incidents in the 1980s’.‘Decades of Deceit: The Stalker Affair and Its Legacy’ argues that ‘Stalker uncovered key elements of the strategy during an official inquiry into three ‘shoot-to-kill’ incidents in the 1980s’.
‘Decades of Deceit: The Stalker Affair and Its Legacy’ argues that ‘Stalker uncovered key elements of the strategy during an official inquiry into three ‘shoot-to-kill’ incidents in the 1980s’.
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"By showing how governments and state agencies have been undermining the rule of law over many years, the book is a vital contribution to the defence of human rights and international law as they come under increasing attack,” the publisher Beyond the Pale States.

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Reviewing the new history Professor Fionnuala Ní Aoláin KC University of Minnesota and Queen’s University Belfast, stated: “Riveting as a story, compelling as a political analysis and utterly devastating in its portrayal of the subversion of law and legal process.

"A must-read for those interested in truth and justice.”

The book is retailing at £20 and is available from local bookshops and directly from the publisher at https://www.beyondthepalebooks.com/stalker

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