McDowell under fire for ‘steering’ Colombia probe
Professor Dermot Walsh of Limerick University said the minister had “crossed the line” by trying to steer an ongoing criminal probe. “I think the minister has crossed the line, insofar as he’s maintaining a hands-on control of the investigation in the Colombia case and demanding regular accounts on that investigation from the Garda Commissioner. It seems to me that he’s interfering in a specific criminal investigation of individuals and that crosses the mark of political interference in the administration of justice,” he said.
Prof Walsh, who runs the Centre for Criminal Justice at the University of Limerick, said Mr McDowell seemed to be “on a crusade” against the Colombia Three and was determined to punish them through the criminal justice system.
