McDowell accuses Colombia Three of advancing terrorism

The Minister for Justice Michael McDowell has accused the so-called Colombia Three of travelling to the South American country "to advance terrorism".

Niall Connolly, Jim Monaghan and Martin McCauley are currently on the run from Colombian justice after being jailed for 17 years each for training anti-government rebels in bomb-making techniques.

They were originally acquitted of the charge due to a lack of evidence and the unreliability of the witnesses.

The three men returned to Ireland in recent months and were interviewed by Gardaí last week before being released without charge.

They have claimed they were in Colombia to monitor the country's peace process, but speaking in Dublin today, Mr McDowell said he rejected this and believed they were there "to advance terrorism".

He also said the Government could not shy away from the issue just because it was fraught with difficulties.

Colombia has insisted that it wants the men extradited, but the country has no extradition treaty with Ireland and the men are unlikely to ever be sent back due to Colombia's poor human rights record.