Colombia three relatives in appeal for trial observer

The families of three Irishmen being held in Colombia have appealed to the Government to send a legal observer to their trial, which resumes in Bogota on the second of December.

Relatives of Niall Connolly, Martin McCauley and Jim Monaghan called on the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Brian Cowen TD to appoint a legal observer to act on behalf of the Irish government.

The families also stated their disappointment at the withdrawal by three Dáil TDs from a delegation due attend the men's trial.

They claim Fianna Fáil Dublin West TD, Mr John Curran, Labour's Mr Joe Costello and Sen Paul Bradford of Fine Gael withdrew due to the pressure exerted on them by some of their colleagues.

The purpose of the delegation is to visit the men in custody, to examine the current situation in Colombia and to observe the trial.

The families say they requested that they visit the men purely on humanitarian grounds and in their capacity as public representatives.

However, Fianna Fáil's Sen Mary White, Sinn Féin's Mr Sean Crowe and Independent TD Mr Finian McGrath are still travelling to Colombia.

The families have repeatedly raised concerns over the prospects of a fair trial and for the safety of the men who are currently being held in the notorious El Modelo prison in Bogota.

The men's Colombian lawyers have said that they could not obtain a fair trial due to what they called "political interference by the Colombian authorities and the US administration."

The three have been held by Colombian authorities for fifteen months and are being tried for travelling on false passports and training members of the left-wing FARC militia.