Colombia Three trial to resume in Bogota

The trial of the three Irishmen accused of training Colombian leftist rebels resumes today in the capital Bogota.

The trial of the three Irishmen accused of training Colombian leftist rebels resumes today in the capital Bogota.

Mr Jim Monaghan, Mr Martin McCauley and Mr Niall Connolly were arrested as they tried to leave Bogota airport on August 11th, 2001.

Colombian prosecutors claim they had spent several weeks training Colombia's largest insurgent group, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC.

They have been charged with entering the country on false passports and training FARC in bomb-making skills and urban terrorism. If convicted, the accused could face up to 20 years in prison.

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Since their arrest, the men have been held in different detention centres and jails. They are in the notorious La Modelo maximum-security prison in Bogota's city centre.

At this week's hearings, the defence lawyers will provide the court with more than 50 sworn affidavits they say show the men were not in Colombia on the dates the authorities claim they were.

The hearing is expected to continue until Friday.