TDs 'should not attend Irishmen's Colombia trial'
Members of the Daíl should not attend the trial of three Irish men arrested in Colombia on suspicion of collaborating with Farc guerillas, it was claimed today.
The proposed trip by five politicians could become the issue of Daíl debate after it was questioned by two backbenchers.
Yesterday it was announced that a multi-party group from the Ireland has been asked to go to Bogota, the South American state’s capital, by supporters of the accused men.
Sean Power, of Fianna Fail, said serious questions had to be raised about the proposed trip.
“I think parliamentarians deciding to go to monitor the trial is only giving comfort to Sinn Fein and should not happen,” he said.
He said he believed it sufficient that the Foreign Affairs department would be monitoring the case.
“Of course I am as keen as anyone else to see that a fair trial takes place,” he said. “But I would feel that if ministers of the Dáil travel to this it will be seen and will be sold as condoning the actions of those three people.”
He said most people he had spoken to were opposed to the group travelling to the trial.
The matter will be discussed by party whips to see whether time can be given for a debate.
Liz O’Donnell, of the Progressive Democrats, asked in the Dail whether it was appropriate for deputies and senators to go to the trial of people accused of serious terrorist offences.
The affair has been seen as a potential threat to the Northern Ireland peace process because of alleged links between the arrested men, all republicans, and the on-ceasefire IRA.
The politicians going to Colombia include Sean Curran of Fianna Fail, Sean Crowe, Sinn Fein, and Independent Finian McGrath - and two members of the Senate upper house, Mary White, of Fianna Fail and Paul Bradford from Fine Gael.
They are due to leave Ireland in time to be in South America for the next phase of the trial later this month.
The trip for the five politicians is being paid for by the Bring Them Home campaign, established by supporters of the arrested men soon after they were detained by police.
Catriona Ruane, a spokeswoman for the group, said the politicians would spend a week in Bogota and had requested meetings with senior members of the Colombian government, the judge, prosecution and defence teams in the case against the three men, and officials from the United Nations Commission on Human Rights and the International Red Cross.
They will also visit the men – Niall Connolly, Martin McAuley and James Monaghan – in prison.
Ms Ruane said: “International attention is essential to ensure the safety of the three men. Our campaign is asking national and international observers to be at the trial.”
