An Phoblacht/Republican News, April 26, 2004


Flash:

Columbia 3 to come home


Three Irishmen who have spent almost four years in a Colombia jail were cleared today training Colombian rebels and are to be deported from the country.

Niall Connolly, James Monaghan and Martin McCauley were found guilty of travelling on false passports but were found not guilty of training the left-wing FARC movement.

The men, who have been in custody since they were detained in August 2001, are now to be expelled from the country once each pays about $5,000.

The men were arrested at Bogota airport amid a blaze of prejudicial news coverage and disinformation inspired by the Colombian, British and U.S. governments.

The three have now received extraordinary sentences of between 26 to 44 months on the 'false passport' charge, which normally requires deportation. They were cleared on the more serious charge of training guerrillas, for which they faced to 20 years in prison.

Court official Emilia Montanez announced the verdict at a press conference in Bogota today.

Monaghan, from County Donegal, received a 44-month sentence, McCauley, from County Armagh, got 36 months and Dubliner Connolly, Sinn Fein's representative in Cuba, 26 months.

The differing and lengthy sentences for the minor charge appear politically inspired and gratuitous, as the three have already served 44 months behind bars in Colombia.

Human rights activist Caitriona Ruane, who headed the 'Bring Them Home' campaign to have the men freed, said: "We are absolutely delighted by this decision.

"We have obvious concerns now about the men's safety and are seeking an urgent meeting with President Aribe to ensure their safe passage back to Ireland."

After testimony of Colombian Army informers was firmly repudiated at the trial, and forensic evidence was discredited, the long-delayed and lengthy trial of the men all but collapsed.

However, the claims that the IRA was involved in international terrorism caused considerable damaage to the peace process at the time, and helped to collapse the political institutions in the North of Ireland. Republicans accused the RUC police (now PSNI) and 'securocrats' of using the men as political pawns to undermine opposition to British rule.

Their arrests made world headlines and was also used by U.S. militarists to increase that nation's funding for the right-wing Colombian government and its efforts to defeat the rebels. The arrest placed immense pressure on Sinn Fein in Washington, where the party's fund-raising was threatened.

For almost four years, the men have faced daily death threats from right-wing paramilitaries linked to government forces, including armed inmates in jails where they have been held. Supporters of the men are now trying to arrange an international escort for the men out of the country.

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