Colombians deport Irishman

Colombia last night deported an Irishman who had been in a rebel safe haven, amid jitters in Colombia after three suspected members of the IRA were arrested for allegedly training the guerrillas in explosives.

Kevin Crennan was put aboard a flight to neighbouring Venezuela.

At the airport, he told journalists he had gone to the safe haven - ceded by President Andres Pastrana three years ago to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia - ‘‘to find out what it’s like there, what the people there think.’’

Crennan, detained on Wednesday, said authorities found that he had committed no violations. He was never accused of having done anything improper.

‘‘They have told me that they have no problem with what I did here in Colombia. I have no problem with immigration,’’ Crennan said. ‘‘But then why are they kicking me out of the country?’’

The Government did not immediately give reasons for the deportation.

Suspected IRA members Niall Connolly, Martin McCauley and James Monaghan, meanwhile, are being held at a federal penitentiary in Bogota.

Prosecutors announced on Tuesday they were opening a criminal investigation against the three for allegedly training the rebels in terrorist tactics and travelling with false passports.

The three were arrested on August 11.