Colombia 3 proved Innocent, but still not free

antrim | miscellaneous | opinion/analysis

Tuesday May 25, 2004 18:55

by bernadette mary

The Colombian 3, Niall Connolly, James Monaghan, and Michael McAuley, irish citizens who were found not guilty of training FARC guerillas in Colombia, are still being held captive in a Colombian prison, despite being proven innocent of serious terrorist charges.

The Colombian 3, who have been held in a colombian prison for over 3 years, and have been cleared of serious terrorist charges, are still not free to leave the Colombian junta state.
The Colombian state held the men despite having no physical or forensic evidence agains the 3 irish men, as a result the colombian junta state prosecution case against the men collapsed. The men are being held pending an appeal by the Colombian junta state, which has no grounds and is just a delaying tactic on behalf of the junta state, to impede the release of the irish men and prolong their agony.
The men were found guilty of travelling on false passports, which is understandable given the unsafe and unstable political climate within certain south american junta states, and it is also understandable in light of the delicate political situation in Northern Ireland and the mens wish not to jeapodise the peace process, by travelling through dangerous junta south american military dictatorships using their real names.