US reaction: The reappearance of the "Colombia Three" in Ireland is likely to be raised before a congressional hearing on Colombia this year, senior political advisers said yesterday.
In a strongly-worded statement released to The Irish Times yesterday, a source representing the chairman of the International Relations Committee, which overseas congressional legislation on foreign policy, said the Irish Government should honour its commitment to extradite the three for "helping to train narco-terrorists in our own hemisphere".
Speaking on behalf of committee chairman Congressman Henry Hyde, he said the US hoped the Government had not made a deal with the IRA as the issue "had nothing to do with Northern Ireland" and related to the drug war in the neighbourhood of the US. The US has made tremendous progress in Colombia in recent years, and the arrest of the "Colombia Three" was one event that set it back.
"The US takes this issue very seriously. We hope the Irish Government honours its agreements and carries out the Interpol warrant for these three Irishmen who are wanted on serious charges by the Colombian government after conviction for helping to facilitate the training of narco-terrorists in our own hemisphere."
He said the republican movement had created a very difficult situation for the Taoiseach. "With friends like these guys, who needs enemies?"
The committee is due to hold a hearing this year on US funding for Colombia, and it is likely to hear evidence about the case.
In March 2002, the committee held hearings on the "Colombia Three", and heard evidence from CIA operatives and others who monitor links between Farc and international terrorist groups.