‘Stakeknife’

179 Ben Dunne Kidnapping
In October 1981 the IRA kidnapped the supermarket millionaire, Ben Dunne, who was held for six days before being released. Mystery surrounds this event as it was never established if the ransom was paid, but allegations suggest that the Irish Taoiseach, Charles Haughey, intervened in his released for
a financial sum. It is alleged that Freddie Scappaticci, later suspected as being involved in supplying British Intelligence with high-level information on the Provisional IRA under the codename ‘Stakeknife’, provided information relating to those responsible for the abduction.

197 Don Tidey Kidnapping
American Supermarket executive, Don Tidey, was kidnapped  by the IRA on the 24th November, 1983 and later rescued on the 16th December by police and soldiers from the Republic of Ireland. Brendan McFarlane was allegedly one of four kidnappers, and was captured in the Netherlands in 1986. He was released from the Maze prison on parole in 1997. It is alleged that Freddie Scappaticci was again involved in providing the Force Research Unit (FRU) with details of the abduction, which later lead to Tidey’s release.