Government denies deal on Colombia Three return

THE GOVERNMENT last night denied the return of the Colombia Three was part of any deal with Sinn Féin, after they arrived home within a week of last Thursday’s IRA statement.

But the development has put the peace process under strain, throwing suspicion on the extent of any deals brokered in return for last week’s IRA stand-down.

One of the three, Jim Monaghan, 58, told RTÉ he returned to Ireland with Martin McCauley, 41, and Niall Connolly, 38, in the past few days.