Colombia Three gardaí to visit South America this week

The Gardaí are reportedly planning to send two officers to South America this week as part of their investigations into the so-called Colombia Three.

The trip clears up uncertainty caused last week when the Gardaí and Justice Minister Michael McDowell made conflicting statements about the matter.

Mr McDowell had told reporters that detectives would be visiting Colombia, but the Gardaí themselves said no decision had been made on such a trip.

Niall Connolly, Martin McCauley and James Monaghan are currently on the run from Colombian justice after being convicted of training anti-government rebels in the country.

They recently returned to Ireland and turned themselves into the Gardaí before being released without charge.