Judge rejects key evidence in Colombia Three trial

The judge in the trial of the Colombia Three has rejected defence evidence which appeared to exonerate two of the three Irishmen charged with training anti-government rebels in the Colombian jungle.

The defence has presented video tapes to the court showing that two of the defendants were in Ireland on dates when the prosecution has alleged they were providing training to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).

However, the presiding judge ruled yesterday that the tapes were not admissible as evidence before adjourning the trial until July 28.

Supporters of Jim Monaghan, Martin McCauley and Niall Connolly have accused the judge of bowing to political pressure.

The three Irishmen, who all have republican connections, have been in prison since being arrested in August 2001 at Bogota Airport.

The men had arrived in Bogota after leaving territory controlled by FARC, a left-wing rebel army that has been fighting the Colombian Government for almost 40 years.

The three Irishmen have been charged with travelling on false passports and providing training in bomb-making techniques to the FARC rebels.

All three have denied the latter charge, saying they were in rebel-held territory to research the Colombian peace process, which has since collapsed.