Republicans damaged by Colombia arrests - Trimble

Republicans have seriously damaged their credibility in the Northern Ireland peace process following the arrests of three Irishmen in Colombia, Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble said tonight.

In his first public statement on the arrests of Niall Connolly, Martin McCauley and James Monaghan in Colombia, Mr Trimble said republicans had ‘‘a mountain to climb’’ to regain the confidence of other parties in the peace process.