Adams to announce decision on US FARC hearing

Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams has said he will make his decision shortly on whether to go to the United States to answer questions about alleged links between the IRA and Colombian guerrilla group FARC.

He said senior party members would meet in Belfast on Monday, April 22, to decide if he should travel to the House of Representatives in Washington for the hearing on Wednesday, April 24.

Mr Adams said he was being advised not to go to the 'The IRA in Colombia - the Global Links of International Terrorism' hearing despite repeating that it was his “instinct” to attend.

The lawyer of the three men on trial in Colombia Peter Madden said he believed that a hearing would be prejudicial to them having a fair trial. In an open letter to the Sinn Féin leader Mr Madden said: “I have read that you have not decided to attend but my own view is that if you do so, the perception might be that you would be lending credibility to what might very well be an unfair and prejudicial proceeding. Your presence may signal your acceptance of the proceeding as a fair process.”

The men are being held on suspicion of helping train FARC guerrillas opposed to Colombia’s US-backed President Mr Andres Pastrana.

Meanwhile, Caitriona Ruane who is leading the “Bring Them Home” campaign has added her support. She said: “We are urging the Congressional Committee not to proceed and the campaign and our lawyers are urging Gerry Adams not to attend in the interests of fair trial.

“This is a flagrant violation of the Right to Fair Trial, committee official John Mackey claims it will not violate the men’s legal rights. I would ask him how could it do anything other than prejudice the outcome of the trial.”

Last month, Colombian prosecutors formally charged three IRA suspects with teaching bomb-making to Marxist rebels, bringing the men's trial a significant step closer.

Prosecutors passed the case to a federal judge six months after the three men were arrested while leaving an area controlled by FARC.

The three, Jim Monaghan, Martin McCauley and Niall Connolly, face up to eight years in jail if convicted.

Two of the men are from the Republic of Ireland and one is from Northern Ireland. (AMcE)