Making their first appearance in court in Bogota yesterday, the so-called Columbia Three protested their innocence and sharply criticised the alleged role played in the case by the British and US embassies in Bogota. Deaglán de Bréadún reports from Bogota.
Mr Martin McCauley, Mr James Monaghan and Mr Niall Connolly are charged with training Colombia's left-wing FARC guerrillas in IRA bomb-making techniques in order to launch a campaign of urban warfare. They are also charged with using false passports.
Although the trial began last October, the accused men stayed away until the prosecution had completed its case. Finally yesterday, each of them delivered a carefully prepared statement which could not be questioned or challenged. Up to the last minute there had been doubts as to whether the men would actually turn up in court.
There was a serious behind-the-scenes dispute about the possibility that they would be manacled hand and foot. In the event, the Colombian authorities agreed they would only be handcuffed on the way into the courthouse.
In his statement, Mr Connolly accused the British embassy of leaking "false and irresponsible information" about him. Criticising the role of US officials in forensic tests, he claimed the two embassies had combined to "damage and undermine" efforts to bring an end to Colombia's protracted civil war.
Mr Monaghan said the British embassy accused him of being a member of the IRA but, although he had lived openly and travelled in both parts of Ireland for the past 17 years, he had never been arrested or charged with such an offence. "I am not a member of the IRA," he said.
Mr McCauley said: "The embassy of the United States cannot escape criticism for its role in this affair. Their so-called forensic evidence against us is fraudulent and misleading."
There was huge media interest in their appearance. Mr McCauley's wife Cristin, Mr Monaghan's brother, Gerry, and Mr Connolly's brother, Johnny, were also in court.
While there is a general expectation that the result will be known by the end of August, there is a possibility it could take up to two months.
The judge, Dr Jairo Acosta, sat without a jury.
If found guilty of training the FARC, the men could face a sentence of up to 24 years. If convicted on the far less serious charge of using false passports, they would be liable to a sentence of between two and eight years. The trial resumes today.