Disclosure and sources of information

Sources and Disclosure

Sources of Information

Since the launch of Op Kenova in June 2016 the team has been actively collecting information, speaking to new witnesses and drawing together huge quantities of information collected by previous police investigations.

Broadly speaking, the collection of data has prioritised the following groups of people and organisations:

Families and witnesses
Police including the Stevens Enquiries[1], Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) & the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS)
PSNI Historical Enquiries Team (HET)[2]
PSNI Legacy Investigation Branch
Ministry of Defence (MOD) including the British Army Intelligence Corps
Security Service (MI5) - the UK’s domestic counter-intelligence and security agency
Public Prosecution Service (PPS)[3]
Police Ombudsman of Northern Ireland (PONI) including the Historical Investigations Directorate[4]

The sheer amount of material gathered means it will take a considerable time to assess and understand the significance of each piece of information received.

We remain confident that we are receiving the necessary support and disclosure of material as required to meet the objectives contained within our Terms of Reference.

Disclosure of relevant material

Operation Kenova is working with a range of police forces and organisations to ensure every piece of relevant information is gathered.

The investigation team has met with partners from the police teams outlined above, the MOD and MI5, to ensure that all material relevant to our investigations is made available to Op Kenova.

These partners are obligated not to destroy any relevant information or interfere with the course of justice and have been given notice in writing to this effect.

Material will include:

Victim and witness statements
Exhibits and images
Intelligence reports (including those held by partners from MI5 and the MOD)
Lists of suspected offenders
Forensic science reports

The investigation is also engaged with the prosecution authorities who are providing material relating to relevant investigations.

Every piece of information gather is entered into the HOLMES database to cross-check and establish whether there are any links to other evidence or investigations.

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[1] Sir John Stevens led three separate enquiries in Northern Ireland 1989 - 2005

[2] The HET was set up in 2005 as a special investigative unit attached to the PSNI to re-examine the deaths of 3,260 people in Northern Ireland between 1968 and 1998. It was replaced by the PSNI Legacy Investigation Branch (https://www.psni.police.uk)

[3] The PPS decides whether or not to prosecute people for committing criminal offences. It decides what the correct charges should be and is also responsible for prosecuting the case at court. (http://www.ppsni.gov.uk)

[4] The Police Ombudsman's Historical Investigations Directorate was established in 2010. This work is set apart from its investigations into complaints about current policing. (https://policeombudsman.org/)