Govt urged to prevent separation of Colombia Three

Campaigners for the three Irishmen accused of training anti-government rebels in Colombia have asked the Irish Government to prevent the three from being separated until their trial ends.

The call follows a decision to separate Niall Connolly from Jim Monaghan and Martin McCauley and put him in a cell with three right-wing paramilitaries.

The Bring Them Home campaign said it believes the move was punishment for the three men exercising their right not to attend court for the opening of their trial two weeks ago.

Right-wing paramilitaries, who fight alongside the Government in its war against the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), have already threatened to kill the three Irishmen whose trial for allegedly training the left-wing FARC rebels is due to resume tomorrow.