Former presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt is forced to sleep chained by her neck as punishment for having tried to escape from her rebel captors five times, an escaped hostage told family members today.

MARXIST guerrillas killed at least eight soldiers and wounded 13 others in attacks across Colombia, the army said.

Marxist guerrillas killed at least eight soldiers and wounded 13 others in separate attacks across Colombia, the army said.

A car bomb killed seven Colombian policemen today when it was detonated as they drove by in three patrol cars.

A verdict is expected early next week in the trial of three men linked to the IRA who are accused of training Colombian rebels in terrorist tactics.

A group of Irish politicians and rights activists today blamed pressure by Colombia’s political and military establishment for the lack of a verdict in the trial of three IRA-linked men accused of training Marxist guerrillas.

The judge deciding the fate of three IRA-linked men accused of training Colombian rebels in terrorist tactics has said he cannot make a ruling in the case until the end of the year – or even the beginning of 2004.

Traces of explosives and cocaine found by US Embassy officials on the belongings of three Irish men accused of training FARC rebels in Colombia were invalid, a defence lawyer said at their terrorism trial in Colombia.

TRACES of explosives and cocaine found by US Embassy officials on the belongings of three men linked to the IRA are invalid, a defence lawyer said at their terrorism trial in Colombia yesterday.

Three Irishmen linked to the IRA and accused of training Colombian rebels told a judge they were only observing a now-defunct peace process in the South American country.

Three Irishmen linked to the IRA and accused of training Colombian rebels told a judge today were only observing a now-defunct peace process in the South American country.

Protected by at least 30 armed prison guards, three IRA-linked Irishmen accused of training Colombian rebels in terror tactics were rushed into a court today to give evidence in their defence.

Three Irishmen accused of training Colombian rebels are expected to testify today, in their first court appearance since the trial against them began nine months ago.

Police captured a suspected rebel linked to recent bomb attacks in Colombia’s capital city, authorities said.

US-TRAINED Colombian troops closed in on Marxist FARC guerrillas holding three US Defence Department contractors, killing three of the rebels yesterday, the army said.

Prosecutors in the trial of three men accused of training rebels in Colombia are set to present more witnesses this week to try to prove the men trained rebels in the jungles of southern Colombia.

Colombia rebels have technology they could only have obtained from abroad, it was claimed last night as three suspected IRA members went on trial accused of training the Marxist guerillas in terrorist tactics.

The trial opened today of two IRA men and a senior Sinn Fein official who are accused of training Colombian Marxist rebels in terror tactics.

Irish politicians and lawyers have arrived in Colombia to observe next week’s trial of three suspected IRA members charged with training left wing rebels.

A Colombian judge has formally handed over the government’s charges against three Irish men accused of training Colombian rebels.

Vanessa Arrington

Protesters screamed “Killers!” as defence lawyers for three Irishmen entering a Colombian court today.

Two suspected IRA members and another man linked to the group, who are accused of giving terror training to Colombian rebels, will have their futures determined by a judge today.

A judge was today due to decide whether three IRA suspects accused of training guerrillas in Colombia should stand trial.

Two suspected IRA members and another man linked to the group who allegedly trained Colombian rebels in terrorist tactics cannot get a fair trial, their lawyers said tonight.

A lone judge will tomorrow decide the fate of two suspected IRA members and a veteran of the terror group who have been waiting for more than a year to find out whether they will become free men – or spend up to 20 years in a Colombian prison.

Leftist guerrillas in Colombia have taken a presidential candidate hostage after abducting her at a roadblock as she was driving into an area where government troops are trying to oust the rebels.

A candidate in Colombia's presidential elections has been reported missing after she failed to arrive at a former rebel-controlled town occupied by the army.

President Andres Pastrana broke off the peace process with left wing rebels last night, hours after guerrillas hijacked a jetliner and kidnapped a prominent senator.

The wreckage of a missing Ecuadorian airliner has been found near a volcano in southern Colombia, officials confirm.

The three suspected Provisional IRA men held in Colombia have been charged with training Marxist guerrillas in bomb making activities.

The three suspected Provisional IRA men held in Colombia could stand trial after the authorities today confirmed they are opening a criminal investigation against them.

Three suspected members of the IRA arrested in Colombia were training left-wing guerrillas in urban bombings, it has been reported.

The Northern Ireland peace process today faced another potential stumbling block after allegations that three men arrested in Colombia were IRA members training rebels in explosives and tactics.