User:Kim song-chi/sandbox

Korean Friendship Association Ireland is the branch of the Korean Friendship Association for the island of Ireland formed in 2013. It has ties with the Anti-Imperialist National Democratic Front. It considers itself to be supporting the "anti-imperialist" struggle of North korea. /

1922 IRA kidnapping of Unionists

On 7 February 1922 the IRA kidnapped 42 leading unionists in County Fermanagh and County Tyrone and took them back across the border into County Monaghan. The plan was for 100 to be taken hostage but only 43 could be obtained as they were met with more resiatance than expected. The intent behind the operation was to use the hostages to put pressure on the British government to release three republican prisoners in Derry who were to be executed.

Event and Reaction
On 30 January 1922 Eoin O'Duffy who at the time was the Chief of Staff of the IRA and Chief of Staff of the National Army of the Irish Free State wrote to Michael Collins who was at the time the Chairman of the Provisional Government of the Irish Free State telling him he had arranged the kidnappings and if he did not hear back from him he would presume he could go ahead with it.

20 Ulster Special Constabulary members were kidnapped at Rosslea in Fermanagh. The police captured 11 IRA men from County Leitrim and County  Longford.

Following the raids Prime Minister David Lloyd George opened communication with the Free State. Collins sent a telegram saying that the Provisional Government made "special efforts" to prevent violence and would do everything they could to make sure those kidnapped would be returned safely.

James Craig, the Prime Minister of Northern Ireland was furious and asked Winston Churchill if there was any "legal obstacle to use sending a flying column of 5000 Constabulary to discover the kindapped loyalists". Craig wanted to invade the south and reoccupy a portion of territory for every man kidnapped until they were all returned.