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16/06/2004
Colombia Three leave jail cells
Three Irishmen falsely accused of training Marxist rebels in Colombia have left their cells, six weeks after being acquitted.
Niall Connolly, Martin McCauley and James Monaghan had been free to leave their jail cells but refused to pay the fines to get them out of jail. They claimed their lives would be at risk if they were not offered some sort of protection from authorities.
While Colombian Judge Jairo Acosta denied such a claim, he said that if the men were allowed to return home to Ireland there were no guarantees they would return to Colombia for the appeal.
Despite today's development it is still unclear whether the men are now free to leave Colombia and return home.
Last week, Sinn Féin's Gerry Kelly arrived in Bogota to visit the men at the invitation of the Bring Them Home Campaign.
Mr Kelly said the men had been "under threat of death for almost three years" despite their innocence.
"It is vital that the spotlight remains on this case and that the campaign for the return of the three men continues," he said.
“There is no basis for the appeal currently being mounted by the Colombian Attorney General and the men’s lives are undoubtedly under threat. It is vital that the three men are allowed to leave Colombia and return home safely to their families in Ireland.”
(MB)
Niall Connolly, Martin McCauley and James Monaghan had been free to leave their jail cells but refused to pay the fines to get them out of jail. They claimed their lives would be at risk if they were not offered some sort of protection from authorities.
While Colombian Judge Jairo Acosta denied such a claim, he said that if the men were allowed to return home to Ireland there were no guarantees they would return to Colombia for the appeal.
Despite today's development it is still unclear whether the men are now free to leave Colombia and return home.
Last week, Sinn Féin's Gerry Kelly arrived in Bogota to visit the men at the invitation of the Bring Them Home Campaign.
Mr Kelly said the men had been "under threat of death for almost three years" despite their innocence.
"It is vital that the spotlight remains on this case and that the campaign for the return of the three men continues," he said.
“There is no basis for the appeal currently being mounted by the Colombian Attorney General and the men’s lives are undoubtedly under threat. It is vital that the three men are allowed to leave Colombia and return home safely to their families in Ireland.”
(MB)
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