Suspicion still rife of Colombia Three deal

SUSPICION of a secret deal between the Government and Sinn Féin on the return of the Colombia Three persisted last night, despite outright denials from both sides.

As the Northern Ireland Office starkly warned that the three would immediately be arrested and prepared for extradition if they crossed the Border into the North, the largest unionist party, the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), challenged Taoiseach Bertie Ahern to make a similar commitment.

“These three men were intricately involved in the global terrorist network,” said DUP deputy leader Peter Robinson.

“Bertie Ahern would do well to remember the words of President Bush when he said: ‘Those who harbour terrorists are terrorists.’

“Mr Ahern must facilitate, by whatever means necessary, their swift extradition, even if that means new legislation. If he does not, unionists in Northern Ireland will believe him to be complicit.”

The Ulster Unionist Party’s Michael McGimpsey said it was “surely no coincidence” that the three returned home so soon after the IRA statement.

The nationalist SDLP, meanwhile, said the men’s return was a negative development for the peace process.

“Their return will not be celebrated by democratic nationalists across the island,” said the party’s Alex Attwood.

Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny demanded that both the Taoiseach and Justice Minister “clarify whether this issue was part of the negotiations between the Government and Sinn Féin”.

Labour deputy leader Liz McManus did likewise, refusing to accept the claims by one of the three, Jim Monaghan, that there had been no deal.

“The Colombia Three have never been honest or truthful with the Irish people about the activities in Colombia, so anything they say about the circumstances of their return to Ireland should be treated with great caution,” she said.

The Green Party’s Dan Boyle said the men’s “continuing ambivalence” regarding FARC was “a matter of deep concern”, given FARC’s kidnapping and continuing incarceration of the Colombian Green Party presidential candidate, Ingrid Betancourt.

“Such ambivalence cannot be allowed to continue,” said Mr Boyle.

Fine Gael, Labour and the Greens all stressed that the authorities here would now have to consider their position, including, according to Ms McManus, “the question of whether or not the possession by at least two of the men of forged Irish passports requires any further action”.

The Department of Justice said there was no extradition treaty between this country and Colombia, but said it would consider any request received. However, a spokesman stressed that the processing of any such request would be a matter “mainly for the garda authorities”.

The gardaí did not immediately comment on the developments last night. But leading lawyers have pointed out in the past that any attempt to extradite the three from Ireland could prove extremely problematic under EU human rights law, as the men would be able to argue that the justice system in Colombia is tainted by corruption.

The three had been missing since last December after a Colombian appeal court reversed their original acquittal and sentenced them to 17 years in prison.