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24/04/2002
IRA again deny any Colombian involvement
The IRA has again denied any involvement with left-wing guerrillas in Colombia ahead of a US Congressional hearing into alleged links between the two groups.
In a statement on Wednesday, the IRA reiterated that they had "sent no-one to Colombia to train or to engage in any military co-operation with any group," and further that the IRA had "not interfered" in the internal affairs of Colombia and would not do so.
The IRA statement went on to say that the paramilitary organisation was "fully committed to a successful outcome of the Irish peace process" and that the "threat to that process did not come from the IRA".
The statement was made just hours before a House International Relations Committee (HIRC) hearing into links between the IRA and the FARC rebels is due to begin in Washington.
The HIRC nine-month investigation of IRA activities in Colombia, revealed ahead of the hearing, said the IRA had formed part of a global terror network based in Colombia where it helped train guerrilla groups.
The report said that, according to Colombian authorities, not only had the IRA operated on behalf of the FARC, but also the Iranians, Cubans and possibly Basque separatist movement ETA.
The reports authors said: “The threat of drug-financed terrorism and organised crime of a global reach, illustrated by developments in Colombia, must be addressed by changes in US law that will permit American assistance for counter-terrorism programmes.”
Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams was asked to appear before the committee, but declined.
Mr Adams said legal advice from the lawyers representing the three men in Colombia indicated that his presence at them might well be prejudicial to any possibility of a fair trial.
The committee is expected to hear evidence from Asa Hutchinson of the US Drug Enforcement Administration, General Fernando Tapias, Chairman, Joint Chiefs of staff, Armed Forces of Columbia and Mark Wong, Deputy Coordinator for Counter-terrorism, US Department of State.
Last month, in a move viewed as bringing the men's trial a significant step closer, Colombian prosecutors formally charged Martin McCauley, James Monaghan and Niall Connolly with teaching bomb-making to Marxist rebels.
If convicted, the men could face eight years in prison.
(AMcE)
In a statement on Wednesday, the IRA reiterated that they had "sent no-one to Colombia to train or to engage in any military co-operation with any group," and further that the IRA had "not interfered" in the internal affairs of Colombia and would not do so.
The IRA statement went on to say that the paramilitary organisation was "fully committed to a successful outcome of the Irish peace process" and that the "threat to that process did not come from the IRA".
The statement was made just hours before a House International Relations Committee (HIRC) hearing into links between the IRA and the FARC rebels is due to begin in Washington.
The HIRC nine-month investigation of IRA activities in Colombia, revealed ahead of the hearing, said the IRA had formed part of a global terror network based in Colombia where it helped train guerrilla groups.
The report said that, according to Colombian authorities, not only had the IRA operated on behalf of the FARC, but also the Iranians, Cubans and possibly Basque separatist movement ETA.
The reports authors said: “The threat of drug-financed terrorism and organised crime of a global reach, illustrated by developments in Colombia, must be addressed by changes in US law that will permit American assistance for counter-terrorism programmes.”
Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams was asked to appear before the committee, but declined.
Mr Adams said legal advice from the lawyers representing the three men in Colombia indicated that his presence at them might well be prejudicial to any possibility of a fair trial.
The committee is expected to hear evidence from Asa Hutchinson of the US Drug Enforcement Administration, General Fernando Tapias, Chairman, Joint Chiefs of staff, Armed Forces of Columbia and Mark Wong, Deputy Coordinator for Counter-terrorism, US Department of State.
Last month, in a move viewed as bringing the men's trial a significant step closer, Colombian prosecutors formally charged Martin McCauley, James Monaghan and Niall Connolly with teaching bomb-making to Marxist rebels.
If convicted, the men could face eight years in prison.
(AMcE)
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