British security sources are claiming that IRA activity in Colombia was sanctioned by two of its most senior members. The revelation, which is sure to inflame unionist concerns over the peace process, was denied by the IRA this evening.
The report claims the IRA was using Colombia as a testing ground to try out new weapons including rockets, and that the activity was "definitely sanctioned at IRA army council level".
Three Irishmen are currently awaiting trial in the Colombia charged with training Marxist Farc guerrillas, something they and the republican movement deny.
The trio, Niall Connolly, Jim Monaghan and Martin McCauley have been refusing food for the past five days because of fears they could be poisoned before they stand trial.
Ulster Unionist Michael McGimpsey, a minister in the power-sharing Stormont Government, said of the revelation: "This is a clear breach of the ceasefire, a dramatic breach of the ceasefire."
He said Sinn Fein and the IRA had signed up to a peace process which required "exclusively peaceful democratic means" and added: "Why develop weapons if the war is over. "I think that is something we will have to consider and take a considered view over."
The IRA dismissed the security assessment this evening as unsubstantiated allegations by unnamed securocrats.