Columbia Three make first appearance in court today

THREE men accused of training terrorists will make their first appearance in court in Columbia today.

Jim Monaghan, Niall Connolly and Martin McCauley face up to 20 years in jail if found guilty of teaching Marxist rebels advanced bomb-making techniques. Defence lawyers and an observer from the inspector general’s office will also give their final statements at the court in Bogota this week, then the judge will have 15 working days to give his ruling.

The three men were arrested in August 2001 at the capital’s airport after visiting a rebel stronghold where they allegedly tested weapons and trained guerrillas from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia.