Widow of Portadown native John Dignam, murdered by infamous IRA 'Nutting Squad' headed by British agent Stakeknife, says she forgives his killers

The widow of Portadown man John Dignam, who was murdered by the infamous IRA 'Nutting Squad' headed by British agent Stakeknife, has said she forgives his killers.
By Carmel Robinson
Published 5th Mar 2024, 12:18 BST
Updated 5th Mar 2024, 12:21 BST
John Dignam one of three men found murdered and dumped on the South Armagh Border after the murder of local woman Margaret Perry whose body was found buried in a shallow grave in Co Sligo some time before.John Dignam one of three men found murdered and dumped on the South Armagh Border after the murder of local woman Margaret Perry whose body was found buried in a shallow grave in Co Sligo some time before.
John Dignam one of three men found murdered and dumped on the South Armagh Border after the murder of local woman Margaret Perry whose body was found buried in a shallow grave in Co Sligo some time before.

Claire Dignam was speaking to a BBC NIs Spotlight documentary, ‘Our Dirty War: The British State’ and the IRA’ more than 30 years after her husband John was killed in one of the most brutal of cat and mouse games between the IRA and British security services.

John Dignam, a member of the IRA and former prisoner, was aged 32 when he was ‘exposed as an informer’ something the Ministry of Defence has neither confirmed nor denied.

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He was one of three people whose bodies were found on a country roadside in south Armagh in July 1992. Also murdered were Gregory Burns (aged 33) and Aidan Starrs (aged 29), both from Portadown.

After their bodies were found a tape was obtained by the BBC, in which Dignam admitted to being an informer for the British security services. BBC Documentary maker Peter Taylor says in the programme that it is thought the interrogation, carried out by the IRA's Internal Security Unit (ISU), lasted for several days before a confession was made.

Mrs Dignam also reveals in the documentary, which is being aired on BBC iPlayer, that the British army tried to recruit her as an informer soon after her husband’s murder. She said an officer offered her and her children a new life, but she said she was horrified. “I was still numb after my husband and then this happens. I really felt frightened for my life,” she told the BBC.

Operation Kenova, a seven year investigation into the killings of suspected IRA informers, is due to publish its interim findings this week. Freddie Scappaticci, who was head of the IRA’s Internal Security Unit – also known as the ‘Nutting Squad’ is the main focus of this investigation. Scappaticci, who died last year, was codenamed ‘Stakeknife’ and was regarded as the army’s chief source with senior ranks of the IRA. It is believed he was responsible for the murders of 17 people during the Troubles.

The BBC programme revealed that detectives from Operation Kenova spoke to Ms Dignam as part of their investigation.