An independence campaigner has said he has no regrets about making a formal complaint to Police Scotland over SNP finances.
In March 2021, Sean Clerkin called for officers to launch an investigation into how party donations supposedly ring-fenced for an IndyRef2 campaign were being spent.
Detectives subsequently launched Operation Branchform in July that year following several more complaints from members of the public.
Clerkin told the Record he had been branded a "traitor" and an "MI5 agent" by other independence activists for his actions.
"I believe in honesty, transparency and integrity above all things," he said.
The ongoing police investigation was ramped up last month after Peter Murrell, the husband of Nicola Sturgeon, was arrested and questioned for several hours.
The former SNP chief executive was subsequently released without charge on April 6 pending further investigation.
Officers also spent two days searching the Glasgow home of Murrell and Sturgeon and the party's headquarters in Edinburgh.
Colin Beattie, the party's former treasurer, was later questioned for several hours before being released on April 18.
A forensic tent was erected outside the house and several boxes of items were removed from both properties in the high-profile operation last month.
A luxury motorhome was also seized from outside the Dunfermline home of Murrell's mother.
The investigation has come to dominate Scottish politics in recent weeks with fevered speculation over what other figures could face being quizzed by cops.
Clerkin said he had no regrets over his actions and would "absolutely" repeat his actions given the chance.
He added: "I don't think it's right I should be threatened. A lot of people who had considered making a complaint were concerned about being picked on or being seen as traitors to the movement.
"They're not, they're patriots, and as far as I'm concerned, I'm a patriot.
"I want Scotland to be an independent nation but I want it to be done with honesty and decency. I've been called a traitor and an MI5 agent, that kind of thing."
Clerkin was formerly an activist with the Scottish Resistance group, which was known for its attention-grabbing campaign style. He previously made headlines during the 2011 Scottish Parliament election campaign when he confronted then Labour leader Iain Gray in Glasgow.
Operation Branchform is examining more than £600,000 worth of donations which was raised between 2017 and 2019 for a second independence referendum. The SNP has previously said it was co-operating fully with the inquiry.
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