Freemasons’ power and influence in Britain and allegations that Scotland Yard ran a “black propaganda unit” are being probed by two separate criminal inquiries due to come to a close by the end of 2016.

Files relating to a number of key individuals and organizations are currently being scoured for evidence of criminality, including manslaughter and the perversion of the course of justice.

Jon Stoddart, who headed Scotland Yard’s Operation Resolve probe into the planning of the FA Cup semi-final match that left 96 Liverpool FC supporters dead, says scrutiny is being directed at senior ranking officials.

On Tuesday an inquest ruled that all 96 Liverpool fans who died at the football game had been unlawfully killed. Stoddart says the decision will not affect Operation Resolve or the judgement of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). 
The first investigation, spearheaded by UK watchdog the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), casts a dim hue over the inner-workings of Britain’s criminal justice system.

It focuses on allegations of a police cover-up concocted to lay the blame for the disaster solely at the feet of innocent Liverpool supporters who had made their way to the Hillsborough stadium to watch the match. Alleged offenses include perjury, conspiracy to pervert the course of justice and misconduct in public office.

Deputy chairwoman of the police watchdog, Rachel Cerfontyne, says the claims concerning a cover-up cut to the heart of public trust in policing.

“We are looking to see if there were controlling minds and if there were, who were those controlling minds,” she told the Times.

The influence Freemasonry and other clandestine groups have among UK police offices is key to this inquiry, according to Cerfontyne.

“The key theme for us was the aftermath, was there a cover-up? What sort of cover-up and who was involved,” she said.

“One of the lines of inquiry was whether Masons or any other group was impacting on people’s relationships and decisions.”

RT