In August 2018, documentary filmmaker Trevor Birney and I, Barry McCaffrey, were unexpectedly arrested in early morning raids at our homes in Belfast, Northern Ireland. This incident sparked a chain of events that revealed the widespread surveillance conducted by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) and other UK police forces on journalists to uncover their sources.
Our arrest was part of Operation Yurta, which was initiated after the release of our documentary investigating the loyalist paramilitary murders of six Catholic men in Loughinisland in 1994. The documentary uncovered police collusion and failure to bring the killers to justice. We were accused of breaching the Official Secrets Act for using a secret police report in the documentary.
The questionable tactics used during our arrest raised public concern, prompting Northern Ireland’s senior judges to declare our arrest unlawful in June 2019. We eventually received an apology and damages from the PSNI. Following this, we pursued a case with the Investigatory Powers Tribunal (IPT) to uncover the extent of surveillance against us.
After three years of closed hearings, the IPT revealed in March 2023 that I had been unlawfully monitored by the PSNI in 2013 to identify a police source. Surprisingly, this investigation did not focus on our 2018 arrest but revealed repeated phone monitoring over a decade by multiple police forces.
Subsequent disclosures confirmed widespread surveillance of journalists and lawyers in Northern Ireland by the PSNI, prompting calls for a public inquiry. The appointment of a barrister to review the spying scandal fell short of ensuring accountability from former police officers. Many anticipate a public inquiry under a potential prime minister Kier Starmer.
As we approach the 30th anniversary of the Loughinisland massacre, we remain committed to uncovering the truth and seeking justice for the innocent victims of this tragedy. The continued revelations only deepen our resolve to pursue accountability for the heinous crimes that remain unsolved.