Political interest high in coming trial of the ‘Colombia Three’

THE trial of the so-called Colombia Three, due to start this Friday, will be closely monitored by the main players in the North’s political process.

Niall Connolly, James Monaghan and Martin McCauley, who were arrested at Bogota Airport 14 months ago, are accused of giving military training to members of the left-wing FARC militia, which controls large swathes of the war-torn South American country. The group is deeply involved in the drugs trade and has been repeatedly condemned by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. If convicted, the men face 15 to 20 years behind bars.

Colombian prosecutors have already lodged a 300-page indictment outlining their case against the men. Central to the prosecution case will be the testimony of a number of informers, including a FARC driver who said he saw all three in territory controlled by the militia.