A Sinn Féin member of the Northern Ireland Assembly has accused the Colombian attorney general of trying to "bully and intimidate" campaigners for the so-called "Colombia Three".
Ms Caitríona Ruane, MLA, is the spokeswoman for the Bring Them Home Campaign which has been lobbying on behalf of James Monaghan (59), Martin McCauley (42) and Niall Connolly (39) who are being sought by the Colombian authorities to serve lengthy jail sentences imposed for terrorist offences.
Ms Ruane was responding yesterday to Colombian media reports that the attorney general, Mr Luis Camilo Osorio, had declared his intention to investigate "organisations and people" who might have collaborated in getting the three Irishmen out of the country.
Mr Osorio reportedly warned that "the full weight of the law" would fall upon anyone involved in helping the three men to avoid appearing before the Colombian judicial authorities.
He dismissed claims by Ms Ruane that he had violated the human rights of the three Irishmen.
Ms Ruane said yesterday that she stood by her criticisms of Mr Osorio's human rights record. "This latest statement is an attempt to bully and intimidate, and the Bring Them Home Campaign will not be bullied or intimidated," she said. The campaign would continue to pursue its activities through political and legal channels.
"We are exploring all international legal options, such as the Inter-American Commission, based in Washington, which is the equivalent of the European Court of Human Rights, and we are also looking at some legal options through the United Nations."
The three Irishmen were reported missing after a Colombian appeal tribunal overturned the original not guilty verdict in the case and imposed 17-year sentences and heavy fines for training the FARC in bomb-making techniques. The Colombian authorities said the men had left the country.
Asked yesterday if she knew the whereabouts of the three men, Ms Ruane replied: "No, I don't." She added: "The last time I saw the men was six-and-a-half months ago, after they left the jail." She continued: "For their safety at that time, we agreed they would have no contact with myself, the lawyers or the families."
Media reports that the men failed to fulfil a requirement to report to the Colombian authorities shortly after they left La Modelo Prison in Bogota were false, she said, as no such condition was imposed upon them.
"The only condition on their liberty was that they couldn't leave the country," she said.
She had heard there was an arrest warrant out for the men, but no copy of this was ever given to their lawyers.
"For ten months, we had an open, public trial with media and international observers present. In this trial, the judge found the men innocent of the serious charge of training the FARC.
"Now, following meetings of three magistrates behind closed doors, with no new witnesses called and no new evidence, we have 17-year sentences imposed on the three men.
"This is a miscarriage of justice. The Irish Government know it: their representative was there for the entire duration of the trial and a senior diplomat was an alibi witness.
"I am glad the Irish Government is studying the judgment, because they will see very clearly that this is a travesty of justice," Ms Ruane said.
Meanwhile, there is speculation in some quarters that a minority report on the trial may be issued by one of the three members of the appeal tribunal, after the Colombian courts resume in mid-January.