Colombia Three to stay in jail until prosecution appeal heard

Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness has expressed his "deep anger and concern" at the news that the Colombia Three are not to be allowed home until the prosecution appeal of their innocent verdict is heard.

James Monaghan, Niall Connolly and Martin McCauley were last month cleared of training Marxist rebels in Colombia.

All three men had been free to leave their jail cells but refused to pay the fines to get them out of jail. They claimed their lives would be at risk if they were not offered some sort of protection from authorities.

While Judge Jairo Acosta today denied such a claim, he said that if the men were allowed to return home to Ireland there were no guarantees they would return to Colombia for the appeal.

Commenting on the news, Mr McGuinness said: "There is deep anger and concern in Ireland at the decision of a Colombian Judge to refuse to allow Martin McCauley, Niall Connolly and Jim Monaghan to return to Ireland while they are waiting on the Prosecution appeal of their innocent verdict to take place. This process could take several years.

"Every hour that the men remain in Colombia their lives are in grave danger. They cannot be protected in prison in Bogota and the Colombian authorities have turned down all requests to ensure the men's safety on their release.

"The situation is now very dangerous. We have been in contact with the Irish government regularly about this case over the past three years and particularly in recent weeks. I want again to make an urgent appeal to the Irish government to make further representations to get these Irish citizens returned home safely."

The appeal against last week's verdict began today, however it could be several months before the case comes to court.

(MB)