Dan McGinn and Kieran McDaid

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

THE Government has been urged to put fresh pressure on the Colombian authorities to secure the return home of three Irishmen released from prison on Tuesday.

Campaigners for the release of three Irishmen detained in Colombia were today due to meet senior Government and legal officials to see if they could be flown back to Dublin.

Colombian Vice-President Francisco Santos has defended his country’s legal system following criticism of the trial of the three Irishmen accused of training anti-government rebels in the South American country.