GARDAÍ investigating the planting of a homemade bomb outside Shell’s headquarters arrested a relative of James Monaghan, a prominent republican and one of the so-called Colombia Three.

The AIB-sponsored Irish Amateur Open Championship, which will be played at The Royal Dublin Golf Club on May 9-11, has attracted a record 91 overseas players from 17 countries.

TONY BLAIR “turned the air blue” with expletives when he discovered his government was only giving DUP leader Ian Paisley a photograph album for his 50th wedding anniversary in 2006, a book has revealed.

THE republican movement was last night accused of “silencing” Colombia Three member James Monaghan after he withdrew co-operation from the publicity campaign for his new book.

JAMES Monaghan one of the infamous Colombia Three who were convicted of teaching bomb-making techniques to Marxist guerrillas in the South American country, will tell his story in a book to be published next week.

Walker Cup hopefuls Simon Ward and Jonathan Caldwell will lead the chase for the East of Ireland Amateur Open at Co Louth on Saturday.

Sinn Féin have taken a brave step on an historic day for the North, says Political Editor Harry McGee.

The Democratic Unionist Party has slammed the appearance of the so-called Colombia Three at Sinn Féin's ard fheis in Dublin over the weekend.

Despite the minister’s claims, Frank Connolly will not be prosecuted, writes Paul O’Brien.

JUSTICE Minister Michael McDowell has helped torpedo an independent watchdog set up to scrutinise the activities of politicians and big business.

THE Progressive Democrats were yesterday accused of backing down from their proposal that the so-called Colombia Three be made serve their prison sentences in Ireland.

EVEN though many people might like to know what Martin McCauley, Niall Connolly and James Monaghan were doing in Colombia, it should be recalled that, at their first trial, they were found not guilty.

THE Colombian government was assured their request to extradite three Sinn Féin members from Ireland would be given full consideration by the Attorney General (AG) and the Department of Justice yesterday.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern is to meet with his Colombian counterpart next week.

COLOMBIA has officially applied for the extradition of the three Sinn Féin members who fled the country after they were convicted of helping anti-government forces.

The Government is reportedly examining an extradition request from the Colombian authorities in relation to the three Irishmen convicted of training anti-government rebels in the South American country.

THE Government last night received substantial documentation from the Colombian authorities requesting the extradition of the so-called Colombia Three.

The Government has received documentation from the Colombian authorities relating to three Irishmen convicted of training left wing rebels in the south American country, it emerged tonight.

The Colombian authorities have reportedly lodged a formal request for the extradition of the three Irishmen convicted of training anti-government rebels in the South American country.

Two senior gardaí are due to travel to South America today as part of their efforts to build a case against the so-called Colombia Three.

A unionist leader in the North invited Colombian terror victims to visit Ireland to lobby for the extradition of three IRA-linked men convicted of training Marxist rebels in bomb-making techniques.

The Gardaí are reportedly planning to send two officers to South America this week as part of their investigations into the so-called Colombia Three.

A LEADING legal expert yesterday accused Justice Minister Michael McDowell of interfering in the garda investigation into the Colombia Three.

Justice Minister Michael McDowell has insisted that gardaí will be travelling to South America as part of investigations into the Colombia Three.

Gardaí are expected to travel to Colombia as part of their investigation into three Irishmen convicted of training rebels there, it emerged tonight.

JUSTICE Minister Michael McDowell yesterday said the Colombia Three “may well” be extradited back to Colombia.

Shaun Connolly, Political Correspondent

Shaun Connolly, Political Correspondent

Foreign Affairs Minister Dermot Ahern has reiterated the Government's position that the fate of the Colombia Three is a matter for the Director of Public Prosecutions.

The three Irishmen convicted of training anti-government rebels in Colombia have all been released without charge by gardaí in Dublin.

GARDAÍ are to consider sending a file to the Director of Public Prosecutions in relation to at least one of the Colombia Three, it emerged last night.

The three men convicted of training rebels in Colombia should be allowed to live in peace after completing garda interviews, it was claimed tonight.

Gardaí in Dublin have revealed that they are currently interviewing the so-called Colombia Three at different stations in the city.

I DON’T know what the penalty is for travelling into this country on a false passport, but it must be considerably better than 17 years in a Colombian jail.

Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny has called on the Government to make moves to have the Colombia Three jailed in Ireland.

The Government has once again insisted that no behind-the-scenes deal was done with the Columbia Three relating to their surprise return to Ireland.

THE Government last night insisted a proposal to enable the Colombia Three to serve their sentences here was feasible despite predictions the measure would never stand up in court.

The Government is considering using Irish legislation to allow the Colombia Three to serve their prison sentences in Ireland, it emerged tonight.

Dan McGinn and Kieran McDaid

The Irish Government was tonight awaiting an official request to extradite three Irishmen convicted of training rebels back to Colombia.

European Union chiefs were today urged to put the Irish Government to the test over its attitude towards terrorism.

REPORTS that the Colombia Three have been in Ireland and under garda surveillance since March are completely false, Government sources insisted last night.

Sinn Féin claimed today that the return of the Colombia Three to Ireland will not damage the peace process.