Colombia Three trial to resume in Medellin

The trial of the three Irishmen accused of training anti-government rebels in Colombia is due to resume in the city of Medellin today.

The court will hear testimony from Fine Gael TD Jim O’Keefe and an Irish Embassy official which contradicts earlier evidence from a rebel defector.

John Rodriguez Caviedes, a former member of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), has told the trial that he saw two of the three Irishmen, Niall Connolly and Martin McCauley, in FARC-controlled parts of Colombia on certain dates between 1998 and 2001.

However, Síle Maguire, an official at the Irish Embassy in Mexico, will say today that she saw Mr Connolly at a function in Cuba on one of those dates.

Her testimony will be supported by Mr O’Keefe, who was also at the function as part of an all-party visit to Colombia.