Irish Americans trying to have IRA probe dropped

A US Congressional Committee is resisting pressure from Irish Americans to drop a major investigation into links between the IRA and Marxist rebels in Colombia, it emerged tonight.

Sources in Washington confirmed public hearings into the arrest of three Irishmen detained in Bogota last August could be held as early as the Spring.

The chairman of the US Congressional committee investigating the links has also said the Sinn Fein leadership and the IRA must state where exactly they stand on the issue of global terrorism.

In a letter resisting pressure from the Irish American pressure group, the Irish National Caucus, to abandon the probe, the chairman of the International Relations Committee Henry Hyde said there were compelling reasons for an investigation.

He noted: ‘‘The administration (of US President George Bush) has warned the IRA not to again be involved in Colombia; the administration has not objected to finding the truth of what happened.

‘‘As President Bush said after September 11: ’Those who are not with us are against us’ in the struggle against global terrorism.

‘‘We must know what choice the IRA and its political leadership, Sinn Fein have made concerning support for global terrorism. There is no room for ambiguity here - the choice is very stark for all of us and this case has a direct bearing on that choice.’’

Three Irishmen - Niall Connolly, James Monaghan and Martin McCauley - were arrested last August on suspicion of training members of the group and for travelling on false passports.

Fresh allegations published in Colombia and in this country yesterday claimed the authorities in Bogota now believe between 15 and 25 Irishmen visited the zone controlled by FARC.

The Colombians now believe two other republicans were in the rebel-controlled zone at the time of the arrests and may have escaped through Venezuela.

The three men detained last summer are expected to face charges later this year.

Although the committee has not yet decided to hold public hearings, a source said tonight ‘‘serious consideration’’ was being given to the idea, with them possibly taking place in the Spring.

The Irish National Caucus had urged committee members to call off the inquiry, arguing it was ‘‘artificial’’ and ‘‘contrived’’.

However Congressman Hyde insisted they needed to ‘‘establish the facts’’ about the arrests and get credible explanations as to ‘‘why a Sinn Fein representative and some IRA members were in the FARC controlled zone in Colombia on false passports.

‘‘Possible IRA explosives and urban warfare training for the FARC, a designated foreign terrorist organisation which kidnaps, targets and kills Americans, as well as supports the illicit drug trade, is not something we can ignore.

‘‘Senior Colombian authorities have alleged that there may have been IRA training of the FARC. If that is indeed the case, American citizens have been put at great risk.

‘‘If organisations such as the IRA are helping to promote an increase in international terrorism, especially that which targets Americans, we must be concerned.’’

The latest allegations that up to 25 republicans could have been in Colombia have brought calls from Unionists in Northern Ireland for decisive action by the UK and US authorities.

South Antrim MP David Burnside urged police in the United Kingdom to launch their own investigation into the IRA’s links with FARC.