Delegation to visit 'Colombia Three'

Sinn Féin Assembly member Gerry Kelly joins a delegation travelling to Colombia this weekend at the to visit the three Irishmen…

Sinn Féin Assembly member Gerry Kelly joins a delegation travelling to Colombia this weekend at the to visit the three Irishmen recently found innocent of training the FARC.

A Colombian judge acquitted Mr Niall Connolly, Mr James Monaghan and Mr Martin McCauley on charges of training Marxist FARC rebels, though they were jailed for carrying false Irish passports. The Colombian Attorney General's office lodged an immediate appeal against the verdict.

This weekend's visit, organised by the Bring Them Home Campaign includes US lawyer Steve McCabe, Australian lawyer Shaun Kerrigan, Irish solicitor Pat Daly and Therese Ruane.

The delegation has requested a meeting with Colombia's President Uribe, international agencies
(United Nations, International Committee of the Red Cross), human rights organisations and Catholic Church authorities.

READ MORE

The delegation hopes to bring pressure on the Colombian government to free the men.

Last month, the Government proposed a plan to the Colombian authorities that could lead to the Colombia Three being released from jail in Bogota and deported.

The outline of the Government's proposals was offered by the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, during "a very positive" meeting with the Colombian President, Mr Alvaro Uribe, on Saturday in Mexico.

Speaking in the Dáil on his return, Mr Ahern said: "Obviously any charge is serious, but some of these charges were more serious than others. The people concerned were found innocent of these.

"The issue now is whether they should have to stay in jail for two years pending an appeal. This seems an inordinate amount of time, and it would certainly not happen in this country or most other countries."