Civil unrest was seized on by securocrats and paramilitaries and turned into their own dirty cloak and dagger war that the mainstream population on both sides neither supported nor wanted.

I think it mad to suppose Martin McGuinness was at any stage a paid informer.

It is quite obvious, however, that information was passed to the security forces at various times concerning Continuity and Real IRA operations. Omagh was a horrific exception, but many other attempted atrocities around this time were foiled by the security forces north and south of the border.

I think at least some of the information used to intercept these operations came from Provos loyal to Adams and McGuinness who were encouraged to infiltrate these organisations.