SAS: The Shadow War podcast – How to listen to the series as soldiers break their silence
The Independent has launched an eight-part podcast series called "SAS: The Shadow War" featuring former soldiers and operatives speaking publicly about their covert operations for the first time. The series explores the regiment's largely hidden campaign against the IRA in Northern Ireland during the Troubles, whilst also examining the ongoing legal questions about how their actions should be judged.
The podcast, presented by The Independent's world affairs editor Sam Kiley, covers several significant operations including the Iranian Embassy siege in London, a controversial operation in Gibraltar, and various surveillance and ambush operations in Northern Ireland. Key episodes feature former soldiers like George (a ground commander at Drumnakilly), Liz (recruited as an intelligence operative at 19), and others revealing their experiences in covert operations. The first three episodes are available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, with subscribers getting exclusive early access to all eight episodes.
- Eight-part podcast features former SAS soldiers sharing secret stories for first time
- Series explores covert operations against the IRA in Northern Ireland during Troubles
- First three episodes available now on major podcast platforms
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The SAS, or Special Air Service, is Britain's elite special forces regiment that conducts military operations often kept secret from public view. During the Troubles—the conflict in Northern Ireland from the 1960s to the 1990s—the regiment mounted covert campaigns against armed republican groups including the IRA. These missions have remained largely classified, with soldiers under strict obligations not to discuss their work publicly.
This podcast series is significant because former soldiers and operatives are now speaking for the first time about operations they carried out in secret. These conversations are rare because military personnel are typically prohibited from discussing classified operations, making this an unusual public accounting of covert activity. The accounts raise questions about military accountability and whether past actions can now be properly assessed by the public.
The series examines operations including the Iranian Embassy siege in London, actions in Gibraltar and surveillance campaigns in Northern Ireland. Hearing directly from participants offers a perspective that has been largely absent from public understanding, though some of the actions described remain contentious in their legal and ethical implications.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
These accounts represent a crucial democratic opportunity for accountability. Decades after the Troubles and other operations, allowing veterans to share their experiences helps ensure transparency about state actions taken in the public's name, particularly regarding controversial incidents like Gibraltar. This historical perspective aids reconciliation efforts in Northern Ireland and strengthens democratic accountability, whilst the veterans themselves gain the opportunity to publicly explain their experiences.
The case against
Permitting public disclosure of classified military and intelligence operations, even historical ones, risks compromising ongoing security techniques and exposing personnel whose identities or methods remain sensitive. Proper accountability should flow through established government inquiries, legal proceedings, and oversight mechanisms rather than through media platforms where context and security implications cannot be adequately assessed or controlled.