Judge restricts reporting on trial

The judge in the case of three Irishmen accused of training Colombia's FARC rebels in bomb-making techniques has ruled that no…

The judge in the case of three Irishmen accused of training Colombia's FARC rebels in bomb-making techniques has ruled that no reports of the case can appear in the domestic media until the trial is over.

Judge Jairo Acosta made his ruling as the hearing of witnesses' evidence began in a courtroom in downtown Bogota yesterday.

Asked by an American reporter if this ruling applied to the foreign media, Judge Acosta said he did not have the authority to impose the restriction outside Colombia.

He said the reason for the ruling was that the three accused men, James Monaghan (56), Martin McCauley (40) and Niall Connolly (36), had decided not to show up in court.

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This phase of the trial, which is scheduled to continue over three days this week and may go on longer, began with a procedural dispute between the judge and defence lawyers.

The defence objected to Judge Acosta's decision to hear evidence from witnesses who had travelled from Northern Ireland because it would be more convenient for them.

The former Sinn Féin publicity director, Mr Danny Morrison, and former Long Kesh hunger-striker Dr Laurence McKeown have travelled from Northern Ireland to give evidence.

The First Secretary of the Irish Embassy in Mexico, Ms Sile Maguire, and Mr Ros O'Sullivan, an international relief and development worker, are also due to testify.

However, Mr Pedro Mahecha for the defence objected to this ruling as a departure from logical order and normal international practice.

As a compromise, Judge Acosta said initially he would take evidence from Major Carlos Matiz of the Colombian Army and adjourned the proceedings so that the Major could be contacted.

The proceedings were adjourned for half-an-hour at 10.35 a.m. local time.

When they resumed, the judge said Major Matiz would appear at 1 p.m.

Following further representations from the defence, Judge Acosta agreed to hear two more prosecution witnesses this morning.

These are former members of the FARC who are now taking part in a rehabilitation programme. However, one of them had changed his address and his job so often, the court was having difficulty locating him.

The hearing was conducted in Spanish with English translation by a court interpreter.

At the start, Judge Acosta said it would commence without the presence of the three accused who had notified the court they wished to assert their right to remain silent.