Rebel chief says IRA suspects are Sinn Fein members

A Columbian rebel leader has contradicted Sinn Fein's claim that three arrested IRA suspects are nothing to do with them.

FARC leader Manuel Marulanda described the three as members of Sinn Fein.

He says the men were visiting group to exchange opinions, and not to teach terror tactics.

The comments came as Niall Connolly, Martin McCauley and James Monaghan were transferred to a high security prison.

Prosecutors in Bogota have announced that they are opening a criminal investigation against them for providing training in the use of explosives and other terror tactics.

The men may also face charges for allegedly travelling on false passports.

Connolly's attorney, Ernesto Amezquita, told reporters he would ask that the three men be isolated in prison because of fears they would be attacked by anti-guerrilla inmates.

FARC leader Manuel Marulanda says the three men were on a peaceful visit to his group's safe haven, communist newspaper Voz reports.

"They came to talk with us, to exchange opinions," Marulanda was quoted as saying.

He compared the visit to others by Queen Noor of Jordan and the president of the New York Stock Exchange to the rebel safe haven.