When the Uchiha clan began planning to overthrow Konoha, Itachi, as an ANBU, was tasked with spying on the village. Knowing that a coup d'état would only lead to another Ninja War; Itachi began spying on the Uchiha instead, passing on information to the Third Hokage and the other Konoha elders. During this time he began to act strangely, not attending the clan meetings, speaking out against the clan and becoming the prime suspect for the murder of his best friend Shisui Uchiha, who was drowned in the Naka River. In reality, Shisui had entrusted his remaining Mangekyō Sharingan to Itachi, the other having been taken by Danzō. Itachi assisted Shisui in making it seem that his eyes were destroyed. Due to this the clan lost hope in Itachi, and his father began shifting his focus to Sasuke instead. Meanwhile, the Third's attempts to negotiate a bloodless end to hostilities between the two parties were proving ineffective so, against the Third's wishes, Danzō Shimura and the Konoha Council ordered Itachi to wipe out the Uchiha clan.
