Irish official to visit jailed men

A Department of Foreign Affairs official is expected to visit the Colombian jail tomorrow where three Irishmen are being held over allegations of handling explosives.

Ms Sheila Maguire, a first secretary at the Irish Embassy in Mexico, is due to report on allegations that the three are being subjected to harsh living conditions in the high-security Bogota prison.

The allegations were made by an Irishwoman who visited the three suspected IRA members on Sunday.

Ms Anne Barr, a peace activist from Donegal who now lives in Colombia, described the conditions as "frightening. They have a cell which is absolutely airless. I don't know how they bear it".

Speaking yesterday on RTE radio, she said she was the first person to visit the three - Mr Niall Connolly, Mr James Monaghan and Mr Martin McCauley - since their arrest on August 11th.

They are being held on remand at Bogota's La Modela prison after being charged with holding fake passports and training Marxist guerrillas.

Ms Barr, a member of the Atlantis Ecological community, previously known as the Screamers, said the three were seeking a transfer to another prison and were hoping the Government would put some pressure on internationally to seek their release.

She said the three were "very worried" and "very tense".

Mr Caoimhghin O Caolain, Sinn Fein TD for Cavan-Monaghan, called on the Department to intervene in the case. He claimed the action against the men was based on false and unsubstantiated reports.